Effectively Communicating with Your State Legislator

by Matt Sande

Director of LegislationPro-Life Wisconsin

Know them!• Legislators respond best to people they know

and can rely on who live in their district.

• To find out who your state legislators are, please go to the PLW website at www.prolifewisconsin.org and scroll over the Legislative Affairs menu item at the top of the page. A drop down menu will appear. Click on the Speak Up icon and then scroll down the page and click on Who Are My Wisconsin Lawmakers?

• Type in your street address, city and zip code. The names and contact information (phone/email/address) of your state senator and state representative will appear.

Build a relationship with them!• All politics is local!• Building any relationship (personal

or professional) takes time• You want to establish a genuine, personal

rapport • You don’t have to be from the same political

party or agree on every issue• Your goal is to become a valuable, honest, and

reliable resource on life issues

Build a relationship with them!(continued)

• Take the initiative and invite them to your affiliate meeting / PLW will help you

• Meet them at a district event (Chamber of Commerce event, public hearing, forum, etc.)

• Introduce yourself, tell them you are a pro-life leader and would like to stay in touch

• Write a short note, restating your brief meeting, and thanking him or her for their time

Communicate with them!• Your voice is more influential

than a lobbyist’s voice• Your legislator represents

YOU!• You are a committed voter…you have

power!• Your letter/call/e-mail means more than

you think!

Communication basics• Write a letter • Send a fax• Send a PLW prepared

postcard• Call their Madison office directly• Call their District office directly (their

home)

Communication basics(continued)

• E-mail

• Visit • Capitol office• In district office hours

Letter writing • Short of a personal visit,

written communication to your legislator is one of the most effective ways to deliver your message

• You can deliver the message by mail, by fax or by sending an e-mail

• Constituent letters that are well written and briefly explain the issue and its impact will be noticed and retained in a legislative office

Sample letter Dear Senator / Representative Johnson:

Introduction• State the subject• Use the bill # or title of the bill• Tell them who you are and the name

of your affiliate

Body

• Explain the issue briefly, factually, and passionately in a simple and understandable way

• State your position on the bill or measure; if you support or oppose

• Be polite and respectful / never criticize• Give an example of the issue’s local

impact (maybe in your own family)

Conclusion

• Thank the legislator for his or her consideration of or attention to the issue

• Let them know that you are a pro-life resource for them and can give them more information if requested

Tips for effective letter writing • Limit the length of your letter to no more

than two pages, one if possible• A single, well-written letter from a well-

known constituent may be more likely to influence a legislator’s decision than an avalanche of post cards

• Give your credentials when appropriate• Express appreciation for past or future

support

Use PLW Speak Up webpage to email

• Scroll over the Legislative Affairs menu item at the top of the page. A drop down menu will appear. Click on the Speak Up icon and then scroll down the page to Email Your Government Officials

• Use the links listed under Email Your Government Officials to send your email to your state senator and state representative.

• PLW will receive a copy of your email which will enable us to monitor the activity of our grassroots advocacy campaigns.

Phone calling • When time is short, a

personal phone call to a legislator or legislative aide is an effective method to communicate your views

• Your call is most likely to receive attention if you have developed a personal relationship with the legislator or staff

Phone calling(continued)

• On a hot issue, calls can often be “logged” and you may not get past the receptionist / that’s OK, he or she will at least register your support or opposition to a particular bill

• Making a well-timed call can be very important, especially in combination with other pro-lifers in your affiliate / it may tip the balance in your favor, so DON’T HESITATE TO CALL!

Tips for effective phone calling• Focus on a single issue, making 2 or 3 key

points in your phone call• Have notes in front of you to stay focused on the

message you are delivering• Localize the issue to demonstrate the impact on

the legislator’s own constituents• Clearly state the action you wish the senator or

representative to take on the issue (vote for, vote against, offer an amendment, delete a provision, etc.)

Tips for effective phone calling(continued)

• Keep your call brief – no more than 3 or 4 minutes• If asked a question you can’t answer, tell them you’ll get the answer

and get back to them • Leave your name and telephone # with the staff to whom you’ve

spoken in case they have questions later• Write down the name of the staff person you spoke with so that next

time you can ask for him or her by name / this will help you build a relationship with the staff

• Staff are more likely to listen to and return the phone calls of constituents they know

• If you prefer to leave a message with your state legislator, please call the toll-free State Legislative Hotline at (800) 362-9472.

Personal visits with legislators and staff

• Know where your legislator stands on life issues (PLW staff can provide information on this)

• Be considerate of your legislators’ time constraints • Be prepared, be informed about what you’re

saying• Know the topic, bill number, main arguments, etc.• Know your opponents main arguments

• Educate – Don’t preach

Personal visits with legislators and staff (continued)

• Keep your message simple and straightforward – don’t confuse the issue

• LISTEN to your legislators views on the issue

• Answer their questions and acknowledge their insights

• Understanding their view, whether or not it concurs with yours, will provide valuable insight into how you might support or change their view

Personal visits with legislators and staff (continued)

• Leave a briefing paper after the visit, highlighting your key points (PLW will provide you written policy memos) / include your name and contact information for follow up

• Write a thank you note after the visit / write a note to the legislator’s staff if they attended the visit

ALWAYS be polite and courteous, even when you disagree

Go the Extra Mile!• Know the committee your legislator chairs• Know the committees your legislator

serves on• Do they impact pro-life issues?

• What time of the year is it?• Is the Legislature in session?• Is it a budget year? (odd years)• Is it an election year? (even years)• Who holds the majority in the Senate, Assembly?

Keep PLW “in the loop”• PLW needs to know what your legislator is telling his/her

constituents• Send / forward responses from legislators to the PLW

state office (email me at msande@prolifewisconsin.org)• Use www.prolifewisconsin.org to monitor and research

legislation• Use the Wisconsin Legislature’s website to access bills

and other legislative info: www.legis.state.wi.us• PLW will bend over backward to get you the bullet

points, memos, policy papers, and any other material you need to be an EFFECTIVE PRO-LIFE VOICE and RESOURCE for your legislators