"I am in earnest--I will not equivocate--I will not excuse--I will not retreat a single inch; and I will be heard!"--William Lloyd Garrison

The following tips for writing effectively to your elected representatives are adapted from those given on the web sites of The Trenton Metro Area Local and The Ninth Street Rag.  Remember, every letter counts.

Hard Copy Letters Beat Email in influence and impact.  Commit to writing and mailing "real" letters.  A real letter has more impact than Email. Email is easy to create and send.  It is also easy to delete and ignore. Imagine how many Emails a Congressman or Senator likely receives.  Email generally does not get a response.

Neatness counts.  Always type (and spell check) your correspondence.

Get in, get out.  Keep your letters brief and to the point.  Your letter should never exceed 1 page and, generally, should address only one issue.  Your reason for writing should be clearly stated in your opening paragraph.   

Sample letter structure:
Opening paragraph (1 or 2 sentences) – states the problem; why you are writing this letter.
Second paragraph (4-6 sentences) – usually explains why you feel this is a problem.
Third paragraph (4-6 sentences) – gives suggestions and solutions for the problem described above.
Closing paragraph (1 or 2 sentences) – asks for the recipient for a specific action at a specific time.

Address appropriately.  Address to "The Honorable ____________

                                                            U.S. Senate/House of Representatives"

            and send to their local district office, not to Washington offices.

Be professional.  Don't engage in name-calling, threats ("You won't get my vote unless..."), or idle chit-chat.  If you disagree, you may say so, but do so professionally and politely.

Personalize  all "form" letters, such as those on the Sample Letters page.  A photo-copied letter, where only the signature is different, will have less impact than one you prepared yourself--even if the changes are only slight.  A personal letter is more valuable than a signature on a petition.

Give reasons for your position.  If you have special knowledge on some issues, by all means share it. Refer to research, data statistics, etc if you can.  This does not excuse you from being concise.

Be yourself.  Don’t pretend to have vast influence you don't have (i.e. "I speak for all...when I tell you.").  When a writer appoints himself spokesperson for some neighborhood, industry or group, he/she usually creates doubt about the views he/she expresses.

Close professionally.  Always close with a "thank you".  Always include your return address.

Keep copies.  Maintain copies of your correspondence and any response, lest you wish someday you had.  For important letters, send Certified/Return Receipt, typing "Certified Mail" and the number at the top of the letter, itself.  Keep the "green cards."

Write again.  Feel free to write again, if circumstances or issues warrant.  Continue to be brief and to the point.  By writing more than once (particularly on different issues), you can demonstrate that you're paying attention.  Don't become a "pen pal" or assume you've made a personal connection. 

Don’t expect politicians outside your district to care about you (i.e. respond to your mail). Don’t let this prevent you from writing members of various committees, expressing your opinions and offering solutions.  But realize that some Representatives will only accept mail from their own constituents.  Your letter would then be forwarded to your representative.

 
For letters to the editor, the same general pointers apply, but also be sure to follow the suggested guidelines printed in each paper. Always include your phone number so they can verify you are the author.
 

 

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The Red Bank Local, APWU, AFL-CIO, is a non-profit organization.