Communicating With Elected Officials

Build a relationship with your public officials by communicating with them frequently so that they become familiar with your organization and its activities, your audience, and your needs. By making your legislators aware of your importance to your community, you provide them a reason to support you. As a constituent whose vote keeps a legislator in office, you can education him/her as to the needs of the voters in your district, as well as the contributions the legislator can make to the state or nation by supporting your activities. Keep legislators informed about your activities and special events and invite them to attend. You can provide them with tickets to performances or invite them to meet important visitors. Send attractive posters or announcements from your activities to keep your presence in their offices. Send your newsletter and public relations materials and be certain to send any alerts about cultural issues which affect you or your audience. Above all, be certain to thank legislators for their continuing support.

Politicians depend on input from their constituents as a way to understand public opinion and be educated about issues unfamiliar to them. Certainly they can’t be experts on everything that is happening in their districts. Constituents and political aides help provide necessary input to the official’s decision-making process.

General tips for communicating with legislators

• Address legislators who are already supportive of arts and culture, as well as those who are not supportive. Keep them informed as issues change or legislation moves. Not sure if someone is supportive of arts and culture? Contact the Cultural Alliance for information.
• Keep your legislators informed and up-to-date about your activities, accomplishments and events. Provide them with information, contacts, and referrals so they can find out more.
• Keep it simple and stick to one issue at a time. Long lists of issues can cause the most important issues to get lost in the crowd. Focus your legislators by prioritizing one or a few related issues.
• Know your legislators. Find out all you can about their special interests and favorite causes. This information will help you tailor your presentation to legislators’ personal interests. Find out what committees legislators are on so that you can target the right official for your issue and know who can make or break a piece of legislation. For help, contact the Cultural Alliance to find out more about your legislators.
• Develop relationships on all levels of government: local, state, and federal. Remember that federal legislation can affect state and local government, but no level of government is more important than another. Local government is a good place to get started in being a communicative citizen.
• Get to know legislative staff. The aides to an elected official are powerful influences on the official. They assemble and analyze the research and data that later forms the presentation of an issue to the legislator. A staff member on your side is a powerful ally. Keep in mind that legislative staff can change frequently, so be sure to stay current and offer to brief new staff about your issues and concerns. Find out who on the legislator’s staff is responsible for arts and culture research and issues.
• Always provide accurate information when communicating with an elected official. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t have the answer to a question; promise to research the answer and get back to them. Misinformation given hastily can be damaging.
• Be personable. Friendly, charming contacts will keep the lines of communication open and relaxed. Be polite and appreciative.

Try to get a commitment. Be direct about what action you feel is appropriate and try to get a commitment from the official as to what he/she will do.

Ways to communicate with your legislators
There are several methods of contacting elected officials: letter and fax, phone call, e-mail, and by personal visit. Communication by any method can seem intimidating, but remember, the legislator needs your well-researched and organized thoughts to make decisions that will be appropriate and benefit you, your patrons, and your audience. Do your homework and take time to organize a persuasive presentation. Decide which method is the most appropriate under your circumstances and for your needs.

Letter and Fax
1. Use the proper address. Unless an important vote is on the table imminently, you should send or fax a letter to the elected official’s district office (the office closest to you), as opposed to his/her capitol office in Washington DC, Harrisburg, Trenton or Dover. You can find district office addresses in your Cultural Resource Directory, or in the elected official information listings on this site.

2. Use the proper protocol when addressing elected officials. Letters to members of Congress should be addressed as follows:

For United States Senators:
The Honorable [Full Name]
United States Senate
[District Office Address]

Dear Senator [Last Name]:

For United States Representatives:
The Honorable [Full Name]
United States House of Representatives
[District Office Address]

Dear Representative [Last Name]:

For State Senators
The Honorable [Full Name]
Pennsylvania State Senate
[District Office Address]

Dear Senator [Last Name]:

For State Representatives:
The Honorable [Full Name]
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Dear Representative [Last Name]:

If writing to a legislator who chairs a committee, salutations should read "Dear Mr. Chairman" or "Dear Madam Chairwoman."

More extensive advice on protocol will be available on this site soon.

3. Identify yourself and clearly state your purpose for writing in the first paragraph. Use personal or business letterhead as appropriate. Legislators need to know who you are to understand why the issue is important to you. If you are writing about a specific piece of legislation, identify it appropriately (e.g., U.S. House bill: H.R. [number] or U.S. Senate bill: S. [number]) in the first paragraph. If you need assistance identifying legislation, please contact the Cultural Alliance.

4. Be concise and specific. State your views simply and directly and speak with personal insight. Try to avoid clichés and be honest.

5. Focus on one issue. You will be more effective if you don’t cloud the message with too much extra material.

6. Keep the letter brief, preferably one page if possible. Legislators or their staff members do not have time to read long letters from every constituent.

7. Use solid examples, preferably from your own experience. Emphasize the practical benefits or problems of the legislation/issue, and if the bill will affect you personally (you, your family, your organization, your community) mention this and give personal examples. Personal stories are very effective.

8. Make certain the official knows you are a constituent. Constituents are most important to legislators and their opinions carry great weight. If you are not a constituent, your letter may not be read at all.

9. Remain courteous and appreciative at all times. Scolding or "preachy" letters and derogatory comments will weaken your argument and position.

10. Always include a return address and possibly a phone number. This helps legislators know where they can contact you if they need more information. Offer yourself as a resource for further information.

11. End the letter with a "Thank you for your time and consideration" and "I look forward to your response." This shows your appreciation and indicates you want a reply.

12. Make sure your letter is legible. Type your letter if possible, especially if you are sending a fax. This adds to the professional and serious attitude of your message; it shows you care.

E-Mail
E-mail is sometimes an effective way to communicate with a legislator quickly when timing is critical—maybe a bill is coming up for a vote in the next 24 hours—and your message is very brief. However email is not recommended as a regular means of communicating with your legislators. Bear in mind that the governmental e-mail systems often get overloaded, often more weight and attention is given to letters and faxes. In other words, an email has a greater chance of getting lost in the crowd and less chance of being read than a letter or fax. Congressional offices receive a high-volume of e-mail on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, so if you must write e-mail, try to send your e-mail on Wednesday or Thursday.

All the rules of writing a letter or fax apply to writing an e-mail. Don’t forget to identify yourself as a constituent and be sure to provide your mailing address. In regard to length, try to keep your message to one screen, and certainly not more than two.

Telephone
A telephone call is a quick and direct way to reach a legislator’s office. Be prepared to talk with an aide, rather than directly to the legislator. Provide all the necessary details to the aide.

1. Identify yourself. Anonymous calls will be ignored.

2. State that you are a constituent.

3. Focus on one issue. This is more effective than a long conversation about all the issues on your mind.

4. Be brief. State your purpose for calling in the first few sentences of the conversation. If you are calling about a piece of legislation, identify it appropriately. (Call the Cultural Alliance if you need help doing so.)

5. State your message. Be precise about the action you wish the legislator to take.

6. Include facts and personal experiences briefly. Stress how it affects you, your business, your organization, your community and provide examples. These personal examples are effective and important facts create solid debate.

7. Do not be scolding or "preachy" or philosophical in your approach. Be practical about the benefits or problems with the legislation to make your case. You are not likely to change any one’s personal beliefs with one phone call, but you can change their course of action if they understand the practical implications of the issue for you and your community. Be sure to emphasize the importance of arts and cultural institutions to the constituents of the legislator’s district.

8. Offer your services to provide materials or experiences that will support your position.

9. Provide a phone number and address where they can reach you for more information or to send a response.

10. Be courteous at all times and thank the aide or legislator for their time. Request a written response to your call. By being polite you are more likely to receive a response.

Personal Visits
Personal visits can be one of the most effective methods of communicating with a legislator. Your position is connected with a face, a person, and can be presented with your own choice of emphasis. The personal visit also gives you the opportunity to answer questions or find out quickly the areas where you need to provide more research information.

1. Plan the visit carefully and be clear about what you expect to achieve by the visit. Limit the visit to discussion of one issue. Determine which member of the legislator’s staff is charged with information about that issue in case you can’t meet with the legislator directly.

2. Make an appointment. Contact the legislator’s scheduler or appointment secretary to arrange an appointment. Introduce yourself and who you represent, make it known that you are a constituent, and explain your purpose for the meeting.

3. Confirm your appointment the day before to be sure the legislator’s schedule hasn’t changed.

4. Be prompt and patient. Be punctual , but be prepared to wait if the legislator is late or interrupted. If interruptions or schedule changes occur, be flexible and willing to meet with a member of the legislator’s staff.

5. Be positive. If the legislator has been supportive on your issues, thank him/her for his/her support and diligence. If the legislator has not been supportive, thank him/her for meeting with you and hearing your views.

6. Be prepared. Know what the legislator’s opinions are and if possible what their current or past positions have been. Plan your approach using this information and try to plan for the questions that might be asked. Bring paper and pen to take notes during the meeting. Write down questions that need further research, and notes to help you write thank you letters, prepare future meetings, and report to colleagues.

7. Bring information packages and business cards. Legislators may need more facts and information and may lack research on your position or issues. Provide supporting materials for your position along with information about your organization, including posters, brochures, newsletters and other promotional materials. Include contact information with the package.

8. Know your message. Simplify your message so you can deliver your position and a few supporting facts and experiences quickly. In most instances, you will have 15-20 minutes to meet with a legislator or staff member and make your point clear. Rehearse your message for delivery, timing, persuasiveness, and to boost your confidence. Keep in mind that you’ll probably be asked to open the conversation and explain the reason for your visit—use this opportunity to outline your issue and focus your conversation. Don’t let yourself be distracted from your purpose by small talk, but do utilize the flow of conversation to deliver your message

9. Don’t let yourself be intimidated. You probably know more about your field than your legislator does. You are there to educate and bring awareness to the issue you are concerned about.

10. Be political. The bottom line of a legislator’s politicking is satisfying his/her district. Recognize that legislators want to respond to the interests of their constituents. You provide that opportunity by educating them on another facet of their constituents’ interests.

11. Be responsive. Be prepared to answer questions and offer to provide additional information. Information and materials you provide may benefit your position in the decision-making process.

12. Always end by thanking a legislator for his/her time and attention. Always follow-up your visit with a thank-you letter to show you appreciate the opportunity to talk with him/her. A thank-you letter is also an opportunity for you to remind a legislator of you and your message. In the letter, briefly summarize the discussion you had with him/her and provide additional contacts or references. If the legislator takes the action you requested, write a thank you note showing your appreciation for his/her efforts. This serves as a reminder to the legislator you are paying attention to what they are doing.

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