Calling Elected Officials
It's important to call even when you think they agree with you: The opposition is undoubtedly inundating your legislator’s office with phone calls on any given issue, so it’s crucial that we balance that out.
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It applies pressure when pressure is necessary and lets them know constituents are paying attention.
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It supports the elected in doing the right thing, and it's always important to include a thank you whenever they take a public stand or author a bill in support of an issue.
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Did you know that calls on any given issue are tallied? Those numbers can be an important indicator about where voters stand on a particular issue, and provide evidence of voter support when your legislator is debating the issue with colleagues.
Calling Tips:
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Always be polite and respectful.
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Use a script if it makes you more comfortable.
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If calling makes you anxious, you can leave a voicemail after hours, or email. Email is not as effective as calling, but it's better that not making yourself heard at all!
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You will not be asked questions, you will not have to defend a position.
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Keep it short, be specific, and ask questions if you have them. (Sometimes staffers aren't always knowledgeable, but often you can get good info.)
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Make a connection. If you have a personal story about an issue, tell it!
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If you have all of your electeds’ office phone numbers in your phone, it will make calling very fast. When you call, if you don't get through to a person: leave a message or speed dial a different office number.
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Some offices require it, and some don’t, so when you leave a voicemail, be sure to leave your address and zip code to be sure your call gets tallied.
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There are people online who are encouraging people to call out-of-state politicians. Please do NOT call people who don’t represent you. Calling out-of-state politicians reinforces the myth that there are people being paid to protest and ties up the phone lines for constituents. And while a staffer may take your call from out of state because it's the quickest way to get you off the phone, out-of-state calls are not tallied.