Phone calls are one of the most effective methods for sharing your views with elected officials and demonstrating you are holding them accountable. Phone calls also offer the opportunity to show you are highly engaged and deeply committed to the causes you care about.
Before placing you call to the office of your elected representatives, spend a few minutes to organize your thoughts with two primary objectives – Be Brief and Be Respectful.
Before placing a call, be sure you are calling the appropriate elected official for your complaint or request – United States Senators do not “fix” potholes on neighborhood streets for example.
Get organized by gathering all the numbers you wish to call. Then, plan what you want to say and scribble a note or two to keep you on track. Be sure you will be able to briefly summarize the purpose of your call and the requested action in a clearly worded, carefully thought-out fashion. Make sure you state your name and the fact you vote regularly as part of your call..
Staffers for elected officials keep daily report tallies for calls received and opinions expressed. It only takes a minute to make sure your opinions are represented in those numbers. But, no matter how frustrated you might be with a particular situation, make your voice heard in a respectful fashion. Be polite in both tone and word choice.
Please remember staffers answering the phones are doing their jobs and deserve to be treated with respect!
To amplify your actions, consider posting a report about your call on social media platforms and encourage others to make similar calls.
