It is important for citizens to let their elected officials know what they think. You should take the time to sit down and write, call or e-mail your local legislator. If you find a bill that you have strong feelings about, it is important that you let him/her know how you feel. Tell them how you want them to vote and why. Your elected representatives work for you.
Senator Ray Haynes
Riverside, California

How to Write to Elected Officials

Here is an effective way to write your lawmakers that

Gets read
Gets results.

Let Them Know Who You Are

First, you should use personal letterhead, or write your name and full address, including phone number and email address, if you've got one. This should be centered at the top of the page. The lawmaker's office will look for it every time. The reason? It identifies you as a constituent (or not). Constituent mail gets a higher priority than other mail.

Proper Addressing

Write the address of the person to whom you are writing. Addresses should begin, "The Honorable John Doe." Then add the name of the legislative body, as in "Bayaria General Assembly," and then the mailing address, complete with zip code.

What is your Subject?

Next add a subject line mentioning the legislation you are interested in, "re: S. 123." Use the bill's number designation, even if it also has a name. Next add the salutation.

Tell the reader what you are writing about. No matter what you think of these guys, truth is, they are busy. It will not sit well with them if they have to sift through a lot of words to find your subject. Try,

"I am writing you on a matter of vital concern..." or,
"I want to alert you to a matter of great importance."

Then, tell them which bill (or reading or committee vote or whatever) this is all about. Always identify the bill by number and, if possible, by title.

One Bill per Letter!

Legislators keep files on the bills they must vote on. There are literally thousands per session, voted upon many times in many different amended forms. To keep up with bills about which your representative may have little or no knowlege, letters pro and con are kept in a folder or binder, which the office staff usually thrusts into the legislator's hands just prior to a vote. Sometimes, on an issue about which the lawmaker is uninformed or unopinionated, a simple letter count, pro and con decides the issue. Be sure your letter gets into that folder!

Now Get to the Heart of the Matter!

Give your reasons for supporting or opposing the legislation in question. Don't be long winded! It is a waste of your time, since long paragraphs tend to be skipped over or simply scanned. Tell your representative what effect this law will have on you personally and your relationship with your children or ex-spouse or new family. Or the relationship between you and your wallet (but always consider this as secondary!). The reason for this is to put a face on the issue for the lawmaker, and to provide a reminder that his vote affects people, favorably or adversely.

What do you Want the Official to Do?

Most importantly, tell them what you expect them to do. A letter that fails to do this is nothing more than reading matter. The reason these folks are called representatives is that ideally they represent your wishes to the legislative body. They can hardly be faulted for failing to carry out your wishes if they don't know what you want of them.

So, once you have laid out your case, tell them what to do about it. In no uncertain terms:

"Vote YES on Senate Bill ####," or
"Move to amend Assembly Bill ???? to delete the XXXXX provision."

DON'T THREATEN!!

Under NO circumstances, should you add a threat, such as,

"...or I won't vote for you," or
"...or I will vote for Joe Doaks," or
"...OR ELSE!!!"

These guys already know the implications of the secret ballot (you are by now, after all, already what some of them fear most: a member of an informed electorate).

Last, sign your name, and identify yourself as being a member of F.R.E.E.^[tm]. As in:

Sincerely,
/s/
John Q. Fatherfigure,
Member, Fathers' Rights and Equality Exchange

Not only have you identified yourself as an informed voter, but you have shown yourself to be an informed and organized voter. This will get their attention.

One Page Only!

Be sure all of this fits on a single page. Show respect for their time, and they will show respect for your opinions. I speak from personal experience. [Story saved for another time.]

And Remember...

Save this page in your hot list or print it out and store it with your writing stuff. I will not always have time to write a sample letter, though I will make the issues clear to you before I ask you to write. A heartfelt, original letter is better than a form letter, anyway.

I will be working with Anne, the area coordinators, and others to make F.R.E.E.^[tm] a recognized and respected interest group in Washington, D.C. and the state capitals. I believe this will multiply the effect of each letter you write. But the effect is reciprocal and synergistic. My efforts will be multiplied by your letters.

Stay tuned,
Brent Wellman,
Associate Director and Director for Legislative Affairs, F.R.E.E.^[tm]

The Fathers' Rights and Equality Exchange
3140 De La Cruz Blvd, Suite 200
Santa Clara, California 95054

1-500-FORDADS
1-500-FOR-DADS

This page last updated Saturday, 11 June, 2005 by:

Brent Wellman wellman@vix.com