Tips on Letter Writing & Communicating With Your Legislator

Know your issue. A thorough understanding of the issue is critical. Get facts, do research, read articles, consult the experts. Be sure to define the issue properly - otherwise you cannot identify the appropriate remedy.

Know your message. Design an effective message that is simple and understandable. Do not assume that your legislators are familiar with the issue -- it is your job to educate them!

Personalize the message. Explain why the issue is important to you and why it should be important to your legislator also. Use personal examples of how the issue affects you, your children, or your family.

Know your decisionmaker. Identify who has power to help you resolve your issue. It could be a school board member, a legislator, a county commissioner, or another elected official. Once the appropriate individual or body has been identified, learn all you can about that individual or body.

Know your opposition. Identify potential opposition and understand opposing arguments.

Know your obstacles. Even if there is no organized opposition to an issue, there may be obstacles. Funding is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving success -- is there money available to implement the desired change? Sometimes the obstacle may be an existing law or policy that needs to be changed. Identifying obstacles will help you assess the feasibility of achieving your goals.

Select a message that will be noticed. Form letters and postcards are often ignored. Visiting your legislator in person is the most effective means of communication, but telephone calls and personal letters are also very effective. In addition to phone calls, faxes and E-mail can be useful when timing is critical and a policymaker's support or vote is needed immediately.

(The suggestions listed above were provided by the Georgia PTA, 1997)