Tips On Contacting Legislators

There are a few tips you may want to review before making a contact to an elected official regarding scheduling a visit, making a visit, writing a letter/fax/email or placing a telephone call. Please contact the Governmental Affairs Office at Mosaic for additional information.


Writing Letters, Faxes and Emails:

Writing letters works best at the state level. Due to high security in Washington, DC, it sometimes takes several weeks for a letter to reach its destination. You might want to consider sending a letter to a federal elected official to his or her district office. The address would appear in your local telephone book. Faxes work very well unless several come in at one time. Please send them separately if many people are writing at the same time. Email continues to work best with staff.


Placing a telephone call:

Making a telephone call to your elected official's office is a quick and easy way to make your voice heard. You will most likely speak to a staff person, but be assured your messages do get to the right people. A few tips to consider before you make your call are listed below.
  • Ask for the staff person who handles your issue (Medicare, taxes, housing, etc.). If the person is unavailable, leave a voice mail with a brief message about the subject of your call. Be sure to say and spell your full name, give your phone number and your city.
  • Have notes in front of you, highlighting the points you want to make.
  • Be brief ... on the phone, you will probably only get four or five minutes of the person's time.
  • If you are asked a question and don't know the answer, offer to find out; be sure to follow up as quickly as possible.
  • Say "thank you" and leave a phone number if the staff person has any follow-up questions.
  • If you want a response to your request, be sure to ask.

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JoBeth Hyatt (right), executive director of Mosaic Dallas, Rep. Neugebauer, and Texas constituents
Meeting with your elected officials:

There may be occasions when a face-to-face meeting opportunity arises. This type of meeting usually occurs in the home district and affords the opportunity to meet with the legislator and staff. Below, you will find some tips to consider when setting up an appointment.
  • Call for an appointment two weeks prior, if possible.
  • You may be asked to fax a request for the appointment, stating the reason for the visit, who will be attending, etc.
  • Be prepared! Arrive at least five minutes early for the appointment.
  • Most likely, you will meet with a staff person for a maximum of 15-20 minutes, particularly if you are meeting with staff of a federal official. You are more likely to meet with the elected official at the local, county or state level.
  • Have your view of the topic and a specific request ready; i.e., "please vote for the bill."
  • If you are in a group, one person should be the designated spokesperson, with others identified to speak on certain topics. Try to limit the size of your group to no more than four or five people.
  • Leave handouts, if appropriate. ALWAYS leave your business card or other contact information for follow-up calls.
  • Say "thank you" for their time and interest when you leave, and offer to help them if they need some assistance.
  • Follow up within a week with a letter, fax or email saying "thank you" again!