When I first began to actually pay attention to politics beyond "who am I going to vote for," I frequently ran into exhortations to "Contact your representatives about such and such." But my government class in high school was several years ago, and it had bored me then, so I didn't really have a firm grasp of who I was supposed to be contacting, how to reach them, or even what to say!
I've learned a lot in the past year that has helped me be more consistent about responding to calls for action concerning contacting my congresspeople. If you'd like to put your energy in this direction but aren't sure where to start, this post is for!
You have three congressional representatives— two senators for your entire state (each state gets two), and one house representative for your particular voting district (the House is bigger because it's based on population). For instance, my senators are Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley, and my house representative is Blaine Luetkemeyer (if you're in St. Louis, it's probably Cori Bush).
Senators have ridiculously long terms— one term is six years long! House representatives, in contrast, are on the ballot every two years. Because of both this and size/relative influence in each congressional body, senators tend to be more distant/professional/career-driven, whereas house representatives are scrappier and often more politically radical (in any direction). House representatives are a lot more personal to your region and (presumably) care about things that affect your particular area, not just the state in general.
Okay, now that we've gotten that refresher out of the way, how do you prepare yourself so you're actually ready to contact them when the time comes? And what should you contact them about? Let's dive in!
1. Consider the different methods of communication. If you want to contact your representatives more, you need to understand what's realistic for your personality, energy levels, and commitment. The three basic methods are…
a. Calling (from my sources, this is overwhelmingly the most effective way to get your message through)
b. Emailing (most sources seemed to think this was a good, effective way of contacting)
c. Handwritten letters (some sources discouraged this method because of its slowness and because hard-copy letters aren't always read, but encouraged them when writing in solidarity with other people sending similar things: a flood of handwritten letters makes an impression)
2. Pick a communication method that's realistic and sustainable for you. Between calling, emailing, or writing letters, which would you feel comfortable doing, say, once a week? For instance, I have pretty bad phone anxiety, so calling is a huge drain of energy (although I will do it if I feel strongly enough about an issue); that makes email my go-to method. Honestly, any of these is fine; something is always better than nothing.
3. Figure out who your representatives are and get their contact info. Even if you're only planning on one method, it couldn't hurt to get all their information in a document or in your address book.
Click here to find your senators.
Click here to find your house representative.
Once you find out who they are, put their contact info in a place that will make it effortless to access. Add their numbers as contacts in your phone; put their email addresses into a "group" in your email account; write their addresses on envelopes or postcards and put on the stamps so they're ready to go.
4. If you're unsure what to contact them about, search for groups in your area who are campaigning for causes you care about. It can be overwhelming to figure out this stuff on your own, so rely on people who have already done the hard work for you! For instance, I just signed up for the Citizens Climate Lobby text alerts, which tell you when key environmental legislation is happening, tailored to your location. I've also started following Death Penalty Action to keep up on legislation related to abolishing the death penalty. I gathered information from Defend the Sacred AK to help support Indigenous rights in the Arctic. I'm hoping to follow more networks and organizations like these and pass along the information I get, so following this blog is another way to learn about things!
5. Find a buddy to keep you accountable. Life happens and it's easy to forget to be involved in making your voice heard to your representatives. Having someone cheering you on and reminding you is a big help! If you don't have someone yet to do this, I'm happy to be that person for you.
6. Remember that politicians are supposed to be here to serve and listen to you. If you're like me and struggle with anxiety, it might be helpful to remember that your taxes are paying a lot of money toward people who are supposed to represent their constituents— you! Even if you don't or can't vote, you have a right to speak up and it is their job to listen. It may feel like hitting your head against a brick wall sometimes, but if enough people do it, we can move the needle.
I hope that this helps inspire and equip you to contact your representatives more frequently! If you have additional tips for this, please drop them in the comments!
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