Your elected officials - from U.S. senators and representatives, to state senators and representatives, to county and city mayors, and council members - are all in office for one reason: to represent you. They need and want to hear from you.
But contacting your elected officials doesn’t have to be a solo activity. Get together with others to host a letter-writing party!
Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning a letter-writing party.
Figure out what your target is and your ask.
You can approach a letter writing party differently:
- The first is to have a predetermined “ask” that you want a decisionmaker to pursue. (i.e. “Vote yes for this bill!” or “Show up to this event to support LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit people.”) This method is best when you have a group of folks who are already invested in a particular issue area or event. Chances are, they are on the same page as you and will echo the ask.
- Another option would be to bring people together who are unfamiliar with a particular issue area and work to educate them on the best course of action. As the organizer, you should be clear from the beginning about whatever issue you want the group to focus on. Whether it is environmental issues, fossil fuels, or the voting rights act, be upfront with your attendees. Let them know in advance of your gathering what the topics and asks will be so they can best prepare or come with questions ready.
Select your location
- When planning for a public event, it would be best to estimate (and round up) the number of attendees and choose the venue accordingly. If you anticipate a smaller group or it’s a private invite only event, you might be able to host at your home. Otherwise, think about places where people usually hang out when you plan a public event. For example, if you’re a college student, you could use venues that are up for grabs for free such as common areas, libraries, or even classrooms. Coffee shops are also a great idea.
Invite people
- This might be one of the most important steps. Attendees can come from all aspects of your life — work, school, church, friends, family, neighbors — the options are unlimited (though be sure to keep your venue’s capacity in mind). If you have a core group of people that you often talk with about issues, start with them. See who wants to be involved and might even help you coordinate the activity.
- When sending off invites, make sure to include basic information about the issue(s) you plan to discuss. Don’t forget to include details about the venue and refreshments, if any will be provided.
Prepare your supplies and information
- Provide each of your attendees with some sort of basic information about whatever issue(s) you are talking about and contact information for possible targets. If you are providing any additional supplies such as pens, paper or voter registration information, be sure everything is in an easily located spot and is organized the night before.
Host your event and get writing!
When writing a letter to an elected official, remember:
- Be courteous and informative
- State the purpose of the letter
- Focus on the message
- Restate your request
- Refrain from over-exaggeration
- Avoid insults
- Omit jargon and acronyms
Are you hosting a letter-writing party? We’d love to know. Shoot us an email at [email protected].