Tips for Contacting Your Legislators

letter writer The letter is the most popular choice of communication with a legislator. Never send large brown envelopes, bulk mailing or unessential documents, as they may seriously delayed due to security procedures. Hand-address envelopes to personalize them! Faxes and emails are the best way to communicate with your officials, because they are fast and provide a written record of the correspondence. If you email your legislator, follow up by sending a hard copy through the Post Office afterward. Avoid email attachments, as such messages may be blocked or the attachments stripped off by server firewalls. Copy and paste pertinent information directly into the message.

Email is great but it’s also very effective to pick up the phone! If you do call, immediately give your name and ask for the staffer who handles the particular issue that prompted your call (e.g., taxation, voting, etc.). Remember: it is staffers who research and write legislation, so don't underestimate them! Even legislators who are not on a tax committee, for example, will have someone who is familiar with tax issues. Be prepared to get a voicemail box. Leave a brief message, such as: "Please tell Senator/Representative (Name) that I support/oppose (S.___/H.R.___)." You will also want to concisely state reasons for your support or opposition, and ask for your Senator's or Representative's position. Finish by clearly re-stating your name and providing contact information. An email address is best because it's faster than regular mail but still provides a written response, which is much easier to refer back to than a phone call! If you decide to write a letter, remember:

DO state at the beginning of your letter/email that you are a Florida voter, and DO give your voting address at the end of your letter.
If your letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, DO identify it accordingly (e.g., House bill: H. R. ____, Senate bill: S.___).
DO state the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph.
DO address only one issue in each letter.
If possible, DO keep your letter to one page.
DON'T write only to ask for something.
DO remember to thank your legislator for his/her support.
DO remember to never be negative!
If you borrow from a "standard" letter, DO personalize it in some way, showing how the issue directly affects you.

Addressing Correspondence to Your U.S. Legislators

To a Senator:
The Honorable (full name)
Room ___, (name of) Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington DC 20510

Dear Senator (last name):

To a Representative:
The Honorable (full name)
Room ___, (name of) House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington DC 20515

Dear Representative/Dear Congress(wo/man)(last name):

Addressing Correspondence to Your State Legislators

Bear in mind that your state legislators all have district offices close to home, and they are only in Tallahassee when the legislature is in session. The 2009 session begins on March 3rd. Until then, you'll have better luck phoning the district offices and speaking to local staffers. Locate your elected officials by using the links on this page and plugging in your address and zip code. Then follow the links to each legislator's home page and personal contact information.

To a Florida Senator:
The Honorable (full name)
Room ___, Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Tallahassee FL 32399-1100

Dear Senator (last name):

To a Florida Representative:
The Honorable (full name)
Room ___, State Capitol
United States House of Representatives
Tallahassee FL 32399-1300

Dear Representative/Dear Congress(wo/man)(last name):