Guides on writing to elected/public officials

[hso]

Just some links to guides on persuasive letter writing to public officials and a guide that sums it up well.

https://www.aclu.org/other/tips-writing-your-elected-officials

https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/advocacy/direct-action/letters-to-elected-officials/main

https://www.thoughtco.com/write-effective-letters-to-congress-3322301

Keep Your Letter Simple
Your letter will be more effective if you address a single topic or issue rather than a variety of issues you may feel passionate about. Typed, one-page letters are best. Many Political Action Committees (PACs) recommend a three-paragraph letter structured like this:

1. Say why you are writing and who you are. List your "credentials" and state that you are a constituent. It also doesn't hurt to mention if you voted for or donated to them. If you want a response, you must include your name and address, even when using email.
2. Provide more detail. Be factual and not emotional. Provide specific rather than general information about how the topic affects you and others. If a certain bill is involved, cite the correct title or number whenever possible.
3. Close by requesting the action you want to be taken. It might be a vote for or against a bill, a change in general policy, or some other action, but be specific.

The best letters are courteous, to the point, and include specific supporting examples.


Proofread Your Letter
Always proofread your letter before mailing it. Read over it at least twice, checking for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. Make sure you have not repeated yourself, failed to make your points clearly, or left anything out. An error-free letter adds to your credibility.


Identifying Legislation
Members of Congress have a lot of items on their agendas, so it's best to be as specific as possible regarding your issue. When writing about a particular bill or piece of legislation, include the official number so they know exactly what you're referring to (it also helps your credibility).


If you need help in finding the number of a bill, use the Thomas Legislative Information System. Cite these legislation identifiers:

• House Bills: "H.R._____"
• House Resolutions: "H.RES._____"
• House Joint Resolutions: "H.J.RES._____"
• Senate Bills: "S._____"
• Senate Resolutions: "S.RES._____"
• Senate Joint Resolutions: "S.J.RES._____"

Addressing Members of Congress
There is also a formal way to address members of Congress. Use these headers to begin your letter, filling in the appropriate name and addresses for your Congressperson. Also, it's best to include the header in an email message.


To Your Senator:


The Honorable (full name)
(room #) (name) Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator (last name):

To Your Representative:


The Honorable (full name)
(room #) (name) House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative (last name):

Key Things to Remember
Here are some key things you should always and never do when writing to your elected representatives.

1. Be courteous and respectful without "gushing."
2. Clearly and simply state the purpose of your letter. If it's about a certain bill, identify it correctly.
3. Say who you are. Anonymous letters go nowhere. Even in email, include your correct name, address, phone number, and email address. If you don't include at least your name and address, you will not get a response.
4. State any professional credentials or personal experience you may have, especially those pertaining to the subject of your letter.
5. Keep your letter short—one page is best.
6. Use specific examples or evidence to support your position.
7. State what it is you want to be done or recommend a course of action.
8. Thank the member for taking the time to read your letter.

What Not to Do
Just because they represent the voters does not mean that members of Congress are subject to abuse or belittlement. As impassioned as you may be about an issue, your letter will be more effective if it's written from a calm, logical perspective. If you're angry about something, write your letter then edit the next day to ensure you're conveying a courteous, professional tone. Also, make sure to avoid these pitfalls.


Do not use vulgarity, profanity, or threats. The first two are just plain rude and the third one can get you a visit from the Secret Service. Simply stated, don't let your passion get in the way of making your point.


Do not fail to include your name and address, even in email letters. Many representatives prioritize comments from their constituents and a letter in the mail may be the only way you receive a response.


Do not demand a response. You may not get one no matter what and demand is simply another rude gesture that does little for your case.


Do not use boilerplate text. Many grassroots organizations will send out a prepared text to people interested in their issue, but try not to simply copy and paste this into your letter. Use it as a guide to help you make the point and write the letter in your own words with your personal perspective. Getting thousands of letters that say the exact same thing can diminish the impact.​

 

[Craig_AR]

Instead of paper mail through the Postal Service, the best way to get your messages to Senators and Representatives is through the webform mail found on each Congress Critter's web site at https://senate.gov and https://www.house.gov.
Prepare your letter on your own word processing or text editor, then paste it into the Message box on the form. The forms are not identical, so be sure to select all the proper options for identification and topic on the form page of the site. Best to compose the letter as a formal business letter as described above, and try to keep it to one printed page, in case the staff actually prints the letters for the senator or representative to read.

Ever since the white powder anthrax attacks in D.C., the U.S. Congress has used a special isolation and quarantine mail handling system for all physical mail. This means notable delays in getting paper letters to the members' offices, a real problem on timely legislative comments. I can only assume that procedures during our current World of COVID experience have made it even worse.

Craig

 

[hso]

In the hierarchy of communications the ftf with staffers or Congresscritter is most effective in impact. Paper mail is next. Calls to staff and the public official follows.

Get on their newsletters emailed to constituents. Make sure to follow the communication guides regardless of the method. Polite, respectful, informed, relevant, focused, brief.

I've done all of these to get my message through.

 

[tim9lives]

Writing to your Senators helps. I’m a big fan of keeping in touch with my Senator on important issues close to my heart.

That said, I think that the most important and useful way to reach the masses is social media. I’m not an expert on how to do all of the Social Media stuff. It’s constantly changing in my opinion. But I’m betting that anyone who has young children can find out where and how to post on those sites.
My only reason to mention this is that the key today is to fight the extreme left’s narrative. I am convinced that over 50% of the public supports the 2nd Amendment. But the key is to educate that 50% and fight the distortions of the “radical left.” I consider myself moderately liberal. I’m not on the radical left or the radical right.
But the problem today is that social media is incredibly powerful and it’s what politicians are looking at. So even though it’s great to write to your politicians…. It’s also imperative that you reach the young voters on social media too.
For a small example. A constant talking point is that there are almost 40,000 firearm deaths yearly.
But they leave out the fact that 24,000 were suicides

 

[DetBrowning]

However one writes to their elected official, the important thing is that you write!

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

One good tactic is avoid being a Johnny One Note. Don't just write about gun control but on other topics-the environment, the military, foreign policy, etc.