Tips on Writing Letters to your Representative

Tips on Writing Letters to your Elected Official

Writing a letter to your elected official requires some thought, but is a fairly easy process. Tips for writing letters to your elected official are mostly the same as writing a letter to a newspaper editor. These tips include:

***Be sure to only write letters to the elected official(s) of the District in which you live. ( View District Maps)

Be timely by responding to a bill in session, administrative rule, or something in the news.

Keep the letter short and to the point (stay on the same subject)

Avoid long sentences and big words

Limit the number of key points to three or less

Be as factual as possible, and support with examples

Personalize by explaining how the issue affected you and/or will affect their constituents

Tell your representative what you want him/her to do

Be constructive (If you criticize, offer another solution or alternative.)

Topic of the letter could support or expand on a bill or administrative rule, make a point that was omitted, or disagree with and correct misinformation

Special tips for letters to elected officials include:

Include the Bill number, title, and author
E.g. Federal Officials: HR 386, Name of Bill, Obey or SB 587, Name of Bill, Khol. (HR stands for House of Representatives and SB stands for Senate Bill.)
State Officials: SB 257, Name of Bill, Shibilski or AB 432, Name of Bill, Lassa. (SB stands for Senate Bill and AB stands for Assembly Bill.)

Ask for a response

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	Be timely by responding to a bill in session, administrative rule, or something in the news.
	Keep the letter short and to the point (stay on the same subject)
	Avoid long sentences and big words
	Limit the number of key points to three or less
	Be as factual as possible, and support with examples
	Personalize by explaining how the issue affected you and/or will affect their constituents
	Tell your representative what you want him/her to do
	Be constructive (If you criticize, offer another solution or alternative.)
	Topic of the letter could support or expand on a bill or administrative rule, make a point that was omitted, or disagree with and correct misinformation

	Include the Bill number, title, and author E.g. Federal Officials: HR 386, Name of Bill, Obey or SB 587, Name of Bill, Khol. (HR stands for House of Representatives and SB stands for Senate Bill.) State Officials: SB 257, Name of Bill, Shibilski or AB 432, Name of Bill, Lassa. (SB stands for Senate Bill and AB stands for Assembly Bill.)
	Ask for a response