As a non-politician, it can often feel impossible to make a difference. Elections don’t happen every day, and even if you voted, there are countless other factors that affect the possibilities of impactful change. Here’s the good news: you can still participate in the democratic process regardless.
There are a number of ways to express your support or disdain for a certain policy or issue, but the best way to directly express concern is by writing a letter to an elected official. It is also the least time-consuming and expensive option. Writing to legislators enables them (or, more likely, their staff) to identify important issues and where their constituents stand on those issues, allowing them to effectively represent the public. Here are some tips on writing a similar letter:
Find your own representatives
CFR and NCLC stress the importance of writing to your own representatives to express the relevance of the issue. You can find your representatives here and their contact information here.
Personalize
What is this person’s position? At what level does this person serve? Have you voted for this person? Considering these factors makes your letter more impactful. Accounting for which representatives cover which issues/districts and bringing up the possibility of gaining or losing voters in the future strengthens your argument.
be firm, yet respectful
Taking a strong position makes it clear to elected officials what you and other constituents want. However, emotionally charged letters often lose their meaning. It is important to write a coherent letter that will make it easy to understand the issue and your stance as well as motivate your representative to support you.
show your expertise
Remember that elected officials are in charge of a wide variety of issues that they likely don’t know a lot about or experience firsthand. Describe to them how you are affected by an issue or policy, and/or provide any professional expertise you have.
write a paper letter
NCLC suggests sending a paper letter when possible. Paper letters are more personal and less likely to end up in the spam folder.
be concise
Much like a resumé, your letter should not be more than a page long; more than one page is unnecessary and time-consuming. Additionally, you should focus on only one issue at a time to emphasize its importance.
follow up
Another tip from NCLC is calling the legislator’s office to ensure they received the letter. It also recommends arranging a meeting to discuss the issue with the representative.
Still don’t know where to start? There are plenty of templates out there–ALTA, Grammarly, NCLC, and CFR are just a few examples. This skill can help you for years to come, and not just for contacting political leaders. Additionally, this is not your only option, either–there are plenty of other ways to advocate for change, including volunteering, protesting, and financially supporting areas of interest.