Writing letters to officials
You can write letters on your own or you can organize a letter writing campaign. Below are steps to organizing a campaign. Obviously, writing letters on your own just requires you to write them and send them to the correct place. We have included two example letter below to use for either purpose. Also, check out this prezi we designed to make it easier for you.
What is a letter writing campaign?
A letter writing campaign is an easy, effective advocacy tool by which a group of constituents voice their opinions about specific issues. The letters may be directed toward the president, a member of Congress, or a particular government agency. Knowing that reelection depends on the votes of their constituents, Senators and Representatives pay close attention to the mail they receive.
Why organize a letter writing campaign?
Legislators are on Capitol Hill to represent us, the people. The letter serves to educate the target person/audience about an issue and explains why you feel they should take action for/against that issue. Receiving a swarm of constituent mail can greatly impact the way a legislator votes on a particular issue. Letter writing campaigns are also a useful way to:
- Educate people about issues that will affect them. Through this process, people learn about events that will impact them.
- Get involved in political activism by expressing your opinions to your legislators. You are not only participating in the democratic process, but also affecting the outcome.
- Carve out an identity for yourself or your group. Using letter writing allows you to take a stand, or for your group, to show where they stand on a particular issue.
Choose an Issue
- Select issues that interest you or your group. Follow the news to see what is going on in your government, schools, etc.
- Try to follow these issues and any corresponding legislation closely in order to know when a bill will be voted on.
- Check the status of the bills at least twice a week to find out when a piece of legislation will go to committee or to the floor for a vote. When it does, you can intervene by holding your letter-writing campaign.
You can find information on bills and voting here:
- Thomas, The Library of Congress Web site, contains a database of all legislation proposed in the current Congress.
- The House and Senate home pages have both floor and committee schedules. .
- The local office of your Senator or Representative. You are a constituent, and the staffers at your legislator’s home office are more than eager to help you stay informed.
Hold the Event
Letter-writing campaigns are most effective when you get together with everyone in a room and have them write the letters on the spot. There are two ways you can conduct a letter writing campaign:
A) The New Way: Via E-mail, your letter writing campaign can be held entirely with a few computers connected to the Internet. While actual letters may seem more professional, most congressional offices now respond to email more efficiently and promptly. Also, with the increased mail security in congressional offices, letters sent by traditional post take many weeks to be processed. Your issue may not even be an issue by the time Congress gets your letters!
B) The Old Way: Again, you can write letters by hand – or have others interested sign letters you write – and mail them to your representatives. But be aware that these letters will take a very long time to reach their intended destinations.
You can follow up with legislators that receive letters by e-mailing again or calling the office. This will help to increase the chances that the Congressperson will decide to support your particular position. Follow up is an essential part of the letter writing campaign!
That’s it! That’s all there is.
You have just become part of the democratic system!
Below are two templates to help you write your letters: