Advocacy Playbook

Your go-to hub for taking action. Access our collection of situation-ready tools, including 3-minute testimony tips, strategic talking points, and guides for hosting a legislator at your local arts venue.

Tips for calling your legislator

Reaching out to Congress or the State Legislature doesn't have to be intimidating.

Here are five tips for making an effective call or sending an impactful message:

State that you are a constituent: Elected officials are there to represent their district. Always provide your name, address, and zip code so your message is officially counted.
Share your personal story: Keep it personal. Tell your legislator exactly why this issue matters to your specific community or profession. Stories provide a human connection that data alone cannot achieve.
Keep it brief and stick to one issue: Whether you are writing a letter or making a call, stay concise. Letters should be no longer than one page, and a phone call only needs to be about 30 seconds.
Relax and be friendly: You won't be grilled on the details of a bill. Staffers and interns answering the phones are usually just busy workers logging your name and your stance. A kind, polite person is a breath of fresh air and builds rapport with the office.
Leave a voicemail: If you are shy or terrified of making phone calls, you can call on evenings or weekends. Leaving a voicemail after hours is highly effective, completely stress-free, and still gets tallied.

How to Write to Your Legislator

Letters and emails are an extremely effective way of communicating with your elected officials. Many lawmakers believe that a single letter represents the position of many other constituents who did not take the time to write.

Use these five tips to ensure your message makes an impact:

State Who You Are and What You Want: In your very first paragraph, clearly state that you are a constituent and immediately identify the issue you are writing about. If you are writing about a specific piece of legislation or funding, include the exact bill number (e.g., H.B. ___ or S. ___) so the legislative aide knows exactly how to categorize your stance.
Keep it Brief: Legislative aides read dozens of letters every day, so your letter should be as concise as possible. Never write more than one page, and strictly limit your letter to a single issue. To make the strongest argument, choose just the three most important points that support your position and flesh them out.
Personalize Your Letter: Hard data is important, but personal stories change minds. Tell your elected official why this legislation matters to their specific community or state. If you have a personal story that shows how the arts have impacted you, your family, or your local town, include it. Lived experience can be highly persuasive.
Personalize Your Relationship: If you have any existing connection to the lawmaker, mention it. Have you ever voted for this official, contributed time or money to their campaign, or interacted with them through a business or personal relationship? If so, tell them!
Remember That You Are the Expert: Remember that your legislator's job is to represent you. While you should always be courteous and to the point, do not be afraid to take a firm position. Often, your elected official may know no more about a given local issue than you do, so speak with the confidence of a community expert.