Email

This is the ideal format to use for E-mailing your legislators

SUBJECT LINE: Message from Constituent in [Name of Your District]

Include a note in the subject line indicating that you are a constituent (a person who lives in the district that the legislator represents).

Legislators want to hear from the people who live in their district that they represent. They don’t have the time to read and think about the opinions of people who live outside their district. (That’s why you should not send the same e-mail to every legislator at the Capitol.)

BODY: [YOUR MESSAGE – SEE NOTES BELOW ABOUT WHAT TO WRITE]

CLOSING:

If you do NOT want a response from your legislator:

“I do not need a response from you but I do thank you for your time and consideration.”

[Your name]
[Your home address]

OR…If you DO want a response from your legislator:

“I’m looking forward to your response on this important issue.”

[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR EMAIL/MAIL ADDRESS]

When Writing Your Email:

Use the correct address and greeting

e.g. Dear Senator [last name], or Dear Representative [last name], or Dear Governor [last name]

Type or write your letter clearly.

If your letter is not easy to read, it could be thrown out. Make sure you write your mailing address in the email. Email from people who do not live in the legislator’s district may also be thrown out.

Use your own words and paper.

Legislators feel that personal letters, not form letters, show more personal time and interest on the part of the writer, and therefore are more important than form letters.

Have a few important messages.

Don’t write a “laundry list” of issues. If you do, your most important message may get lost in the long list of other issues.

Be short.

Choose a few important points that tell what you want to say in as few words as possible. Include information explaining why you are writing.

Be exact.

If you can, give an example of how the issue affects your district.

Know your facts.

It is important to have the right information and to be honest in your letter. You can make the legislator not believe you by telling him/her information that is not the full truth

Try to find out how your legislators voted on this issue or issues like it in the past.

Write your letter from the way the legislator views things. If the legislator voted ‘yes’ on your issue in the past, tell him/her “thank you.”

Be on time.

Contact your legislator when there is some time for him/her to think about and do what you request. Respond quickly to MCDHH Action Alerts.

Keep Working to Make them Listen.

Do not be ok with replies from the legislators that tell how a bill is doing, promise to “keep your views in mind” or skip the issue. Write back and ask for a “more specific response.” Do not be rude in your letter.

Say thank you.

Legislators like to know they did a good job. If your legislator did not support your issue, tell him/her that you know that they had different views than yours. Explain why you think he/she should have decided differently because the explanation might change their decision the next time.

IMPORTANT: DO USE positive, respectful, safe, and welcoming tones.

Be nice and your legislator will want to listen. Write the letter how you want people to write you letters.

[This page is adapted from Advocacy: Writing Your Legislators with the permission of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts.]