How To Effectively
Communicate With Your
Legislators
As a voting constituent, you
have a tremendous ability to influence the outcome of
legislation. Ask any elected official which
individual’s concerns are most important to him, and
chances are they all will tell you the same thing: their
constituents’. All politicians are keenly aware of
the fact that it is their constituents who hold the keys to
their political futures. Therefore, constituent concerns
are of the utmost concern to politicians. The best way you
can affect the outcome of legislation is to directly
communicate your views to your lawmakers. REMEMBER: Your
lawmakers work for you! Since a primary concern of all
politicians is to get re-elected, be sure you communicate
your concerns with your own elected officials first! Then,
if you wish to express your views to others who don’t
directly represent you, you can do so. But make sure your
legislators hear from you first! Also, keep in mind many
times you will not be speaking directly to your elected
official, but rather to a member of thier staff. Contact
with legislative staff is critical to the process, as staff
has major input with lawmakers and has expertise in most
issues on which legislators will vote -- including hunting
and conservation-related issues. Listed below, you’ll
find some additional tips on effectively communicating with
your legislators:
WRITING EFFECTIVE
LETTERS
One of the most often-utilized
methods of communicating with your legislators is by
writing a letter. As a voting constituent, a letter is an
easy way for you to let legislators know your views on
specific issues, encourage them to vote your way, and let
them know you’ll watch how they vote on particular
issues and keep those votes in mind on Election Day!
Personally-written letters allow you an opportunity to
present your position to your legislators without
interruption. With that in mind, you’ll want to keep
the letter short and to the point, with just enough facts
and figures to further enhance your statement. Never lie or
make a statement you can’t back up with evidence.
Always let your legislators know how a specific issue will
affect you personally, and make sure they understand that
you live and vote in their district, and therefore, what
affects you may affect your fellow constituents as well. If
you own or operate a business, use your company letterhead.
If you’re a member of the PTA or other civic group,
don’t hesitate to mention that. Taking these steps
will enhance your message and ensure your concerns are
taken seriously. Here are three quick tips you’ll
want to refer to when drafting your letter.
How To Address Your
Representative. Address your letters to "The Honorable
_______," and begin the letter "Dear Senator", "Dear
Assemblyman", or Dear Assemblywoman”. If writing to a
Committee Chairman or Speaker of the House, address him as
"Mr. Chairman" or "Mr. Speaker."
Be Brief, Specific,
& Always Be Courteous! Letters shouldn’t exceed one page,
and the purpose of your letter should be stated clearly in
the first paragraph. If your letter pertains to specific
legislation, identify it accordingly (use the bill number,
if known, and the title of the bill and/or a brief
description). To make sure your letter is as productive as
possible, always be courteous, even if you disagree with
your representative’s position! Never threaten or use
abusive language. This only hurts your cause.
Ask Them To Write
Back. Always ask for a
written response to your letter. You’ll want a hard
copy of your legislator’s positions on these issues
for future reference and to document their positions.
Always send copies of any responses you receive to the
UBNJ’s Legislative Action Committee.
E-MAIL
E-mail is becoming a more
popular way to communicate your views to your legislators.
Every New Jersey state legislator can receive e-mail
messages, and more are utilizing it. Tips for sending an
effective e-mail message are similar to writing a letter,
though this format is usually less formal and allows you to
be a bit briefer in your message. A major advantage of
e-mail versus a personally-written letter is the speed in
which your message will be received. Be prepared for some
lawmakers to "respond" to your e-mail message with a canned
reflector message that may not specifically address your
concern. Whether you receive a specific response to your
message or not, be sure that you request your
legislators’ position in writing so you can document
their position easily. Send a copy of any responses to the
UBNJ’s Legislative Action Committee for our
information and records.
FAXING
Faxing has become increasingly
popular as more and more Americans have gained access to
fax machines. In fact, nearly all NJ Senators and
Assemblypersons have published fax numbers. What’s
more, faxing allows you to send a full, letter-length
message to your legislators in a matter of minutes for just
the cost of a phone call. When preparing a fax message to a
legislator, follow the same basic guidelines used when
mailing a letter by regular mail. You should make sure your
fax number is clearly visible, in case your legislator
wishes to respond to you by fax. Most legislators’
fax numbers can be found on their personal pages on
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/
EFFECTIVE
TELEPHONE CALLS
You will often find that, as
bills move through the legislative process, there simply
isn’t enough time to write your legislators prior to
a key vote. When you need to get in touch with your
legislators immediately to let them know of your position
on hunting or conservation-related issues, and if you
don’t have e-mail capabilities, your telephone calls
become the most effective means for you to communicate your
views. Below are several tips for you to refer to when
placing your calls:
Identify
Yourself As A Constituent. As someone who lives and votes in the
district or state of the legislator you are contacting,
your phone calls carry the most weight. Calls to
representatives outside your district or state can be
helpful as well. However, be sure to always contact your
own legislators first.
State Your Point
Quickly And Clearly. Be sure to limit your telephone call to
one subject. Be brief but specific. Your phone call should
last at most only a couple of minutes. State the reason you
are calling, giving a brief description of the bill and
bill number if possible. REMEMBER: ALWAYS BE COURTEOUS!
NEVER threaten, or use abusive language.
Request That Your
Legislator Follow Up Your Call With a Letter.
Be sure to give your name and
home address and request that your legislator follow up
with a letter. You took the time to call, so have your
legislator take the time to respond. Get their position in
writing on issues important to you and forward these
responses to the UBNJ’s Legislative Action Committee.
You Do Not Always Have
To Identify Yourself Solely As An UBNJ
Member!. If you
identify yourself as a voting constituent; community or
business leader; PTA, VFW, or American Legion member; or
homemaker, lawmakers will find it harder to dismiss your
call.
PERSONAL MEETINGS
By far, the most effective way
to articulate your views to your legislators and to affect
the outcome of legislation is to sit down and speak with
your legislators face-to-face. While these personal visits
are extremely productive, they also require the most amount
of planning to ensure success. When planning a personal
visit, refer to the following guidelines:
Schedule An
Appointment. Legislators have extremely hectic
schedules. To help increase the chance that you will have
time allotted for you to speak directly with your
legislator, call in advance to set up an appointment. In
all likelihood, most of your personal meetings will be
scheduled at your lawmakers’ district offices, so be
sure you contact these offices to make your appointment.
Explain How Proposed
Legislation Will Directly Affect You. Use specific examples to show your
legislator how hunting or conservation-related bills will
effect you or the lives of other constituents, and unduly
burden those engaged in lawful activities. If the proposed
measure will strengthen our rights or benefit hunters,
trappers, and anglers, specifically cite examples to
support this position.
Always Be
Polite! Nothing is as
detrimental to a visit with a legislator as rudeness,
vulgarity, or threats. Even if you disagree with the
position of your legislator, be courteous. Dress
professionally to convey the seriousness of your visit.
Follow Up Your Visit
With A Letter. Regardless of how your meeting goes, send
a letter to your legislator thanking them for their time,
and reiterating the points you discussed. This gesture will
go a long way, and possibly allow for future meetings.
If Your Legislator Is
Unavailable, Meet With their Staff. Your legislator may not always be
available for a meeting. In such cases, try to schedule an
appointment with the staff member responsible for
legislative policy issues. Legislative staff will bring
your concerns to your legislator’s attention, have
great influence on legislators’ voting decisions, and
often have expertise on hunting or conservation-related
issues. Send a follow-up letter to the staff member you met
with as well. Keep in mind many staff members later run for
office themselves, so these relationships can be invaluable
in the future!
Bring Ample Materials
To Share With Your Legislator And Their Staff.
These materials will bolster
you point and serve as valuable reference materials after
your meeting has concluded.
ATTEND TOWN HALL
MEETINGS
Legislators often host town
hall meetings in their districts -- especially during
legislative breaks -- to tout their achievements and
solicit feedback from their constituents. Such meetings are
a prime opportunity for you to ask your legislators to
state their position on hunting or conservation-related
issues for the record, in an open and public forum. The
following guidelines should be helpful when planning to
attend town hall meetings.
Get On The
Invite List And Attend The Meetings. Write your legislators and ask to be put
on the invitation list for the legislator’s town hall
meetings. If they do not have such a list, ask for
information on the next meeting. When you receive word that
a town hall meeting is scheduled, be sure to make plans to
attend, and share this information with the UBNJ’s
Legislative Action Committee so the UBNJ can alert your
fellow UBNJ members and encourage them to attend.
Prepare Questions Ahead
Of Time. Have specific
questions in mind, such as asking for your
legislator’s position on a specific bill or issue,
e.g., Sunday Bowhunting, the Bowhunter Safety Zone, ect.
Get An Answer.
Ask your question clearly,
and as simply as possible, e.g., "Do you support Sunday
Bowhunting/ Do you support the Bowhunter Safety Zone?" If
your legislator doesn’t answer your question
sufficiently, politely repeat the question.
Follow-Up With a
Letter. Whether you
had the opportunity to ask your question or not, follow up
with a letter to your legislator. Let them know you
attended their last town meeting. Ask your question in your
letter if you didn’t have an opportunity to do so at
the meeting, or address his response to any hunting or
conservation-related questions other constituents may have
asked. This letter will ensure your legislators take you
and your views seriously, and will allow you to obtain a
written response addressing your concerns that you should
also share with the UBNJ’s Legislative Action
Committee.
You can find your legislators and their contact information
here:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp