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Ron Book

A Guide to Efficient Communication With Elected Officials

One of the most important parts of lobbying is being able to talk to lawmakers well. Effective ways to talk to people and do follow-up can make a big difference in how a bill turns out. Legislators like being able to hear directly from the people they represent. You need to know what your role is as a legislator's constituent if you want to talk to them in a useful way.


One of the most important things you can do to talk to your legislator is to know who they are. If you know your lawmaker well, you can ask them about their position and tell them how you feel in a way they can understand.


Meeting with your legislator in person is a great way to tell them what you think and what worries you have. It also gives you a chance to look them in the eye and connect with them on a personal level.


It is also important to get to know the people who work in the legislature. When it comes time for you to work with that office on a certain issue, these relationships will help.


Make sure you know what you want to talk to your legislator about before you do. Be ready to give background information and leave behind materials that explain the issue in more depth, like our Blue, Gray, and Green Report.


Also, you should know where your representative stands on issues. This will help you tell people what you want better.


Personalize your letter by telling a story that has something to do with the topic you're talking about. This will help the lawmaker understand how you and other people in your community feel about the issue.


If you want to talk well to your representative, you need to know yourself. This means that you need to know your own feelings, wants, and strengths.


It also means being aware of how you act when you have these feelings and how your actions show what you value. With this information, you can make your life better and happier.


Legislators depend on their staff to tell them about issues and tell them what to do. Because of this, it's important to get along well with their staff and talk to them well.


Advocates who are good at what they do know what their legislators care about and then shape their message to reflect those priorities.


Legislators have a lot on their plates, so it's important to get your point across quickly and clearly. When you write or type to them, be clear and use their personal stationery.


The way a legislator has voted in the past can help you figure out where they stand on important issues and how they might vote in the future. You can find these records in a number of places, like the Congressional Record and the official state record of legislative action.


The Senate and House score cards show how lawmakers voted on a number of important bills in committee or on the floor in 2022. But not every vote is written down, and a lot of decisions are made before a bill even gets to the floor.


A politician's personality is a big part of how well they can talk to their constituents. It's important to know how a lawmaker acts and reacts to people and situations so you can talk to them in a way that works best for both of you.


Several studies have been done to find out what kind of relationship there is between personality and politics. The Big Five personality trait dimensions of extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability are all important for understanding how a politician acts.


If you want to make a strong impression on a lawmaker, you should know what issues are most important to them. This will help you talk with them in a better way.


There is a lot of work for legislators to do, so they don't have much time to spend with their constituents.


They need your ideas and information to figure out how to address your concerns.


Legislative staff often asks well-informed people from outside the government for help with a wide range of issues. Make sure they know you know what you're talking about and are willing to answer questions.

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