By Michael Quinn Sullivan
One cannot overestimate the power constituent communications have on elected officials. In public policy, victory goes to those who make their voices heard. As U.S. Sen. Everett Dirksen once pointed out, he only saw “the light” after he had felt the “heat” – the heat of his constituents.
Very often lawmakers – even those who genuinely believe in our ideas – can be swayed simply by the insider argument that “your voters won’t care.” You and I can expose that lie simply by showing our elected officials we are engaged. Our communications remind them that what they do matters, and is being watched.
1. Know Their Job. Spend time learning about the specific role of the position. While it might feel good to vent about the federal courts’ recent rulings on a social issue elsewhere in the country, a city council member has no power or authority to affect that decision. When making an “official” communication, be sure it pertains to issues upon which they can act.
2. Be A Voter. Few people want to admit it, but at the end of the day the only people whose opinions matter are voters. That’s why the opinion polls politicians pay for only study the views of registered, likely voters. And put another way, your views will matter most to the people whose names appear on your ballot.
3. Develop A Relationship. Make sure you get to know your elected officials, even if they are from a different political party – especially if they are from a different political party. People tend to listen to those they know, even if they don’t always agree with them. By building a professional relationship with your elected officials, you enhance your ability to persuasively communicate ideas and concerns.
4. Write Briefly. Nothing is as politically powerful as the pen, but it has to be used wisely. There is nothing wrong with regular communication, as long as each letter is written concisely on one topic and addresses an issue which the elected official can address. A postcard is most effective on this count, because it forces the writer to be concise.
5. Use A Stamp. E-mail is a powerful tool for quick, easy communication with friends and loved ones, but it is not an effective a way to communicate with elected officials. If you have a strong, personal relationship with your legislator, e-mail might be effective. But generally, a letter with a stamp, name and in-district address is the most persuasive form of communication. (Hand-delivered notes and faxes work equally well.)
6. Indentify Yourself. In communicating with your public servants, regardless of method, always include your name and the mailing address where you are registered to vote. This helps not only in getting a response, but also reminds the elected official you are, in fact, a voting constituent who pays attention.
7. Call Sparingly. Telephone calls can be effective, but there is a limit to how many calls can be answered. If you must call, be concise, reasonable and calm. Remember: you are relying on the intern or secretary answering the phone to accurately summarize your position to their boss. Calls are usually only be effective when it involves a very simple request: vote against this, vote for that. Anything else usually gets lost in the shuffle.
8. Never Threaten. While policy issues can inspire great passion, we must always seek to check that passion against civil discourse. It rarely does any good to threaten to “vote against” someone, go after their donors, or picket their offices. We should make our cases reasonably. If they vote badly, we may indeed want to vote against them, communicate with donors or protest at the offices – but then simply do those things.
9. Know Your Stuff. Regardless of the means of communication, make sure you have your facts in hand. When we are talking about legislation, supporting or opposing, we need to be sure we know the bill numbers, authors and other relevant information. For as important as a particular piece of legislation may be to us, lawmakers deal with thousands of pieces of legislation on a regular basis.
10. Always Thank Them. We too often neglect to thank our elected officials for two very important things: their service, and their actions. Despite popular beliefs to the contrary, for the vast majority of elected officials public service comes at a great cost – personally and financially – to themselves and their families. While we can disagree on issues, methods, even end-results, presuming good motives increases civil discourse. Second, we must remember to thank them when they follow through on our wishes – and be willing to give them credit beyond their actions; political people react to positive praise. They remember those who speak nicely of them, especially in public. So when we can give praise, heap it on: it will pay dividends in future communications.
