Telephone calls, emails, letters, and faxes are all ways to educate your elected leaders about children’s issues and make your position known.
Phone Calls
When you call an elected official’s office, you won’t speak directly with him or her, but with a member of the staff who relays your message. You may want to ask to speak with the staff member who handles your particular issue (e.g., health, education, etc.). Once you have the appropriate staff person on the phone:
- Identify yourself, including your hometown and any organization affiliation you have that’s relevant. If you live in the elected official’s district, say so! Constituents’ priorities count most.
- Explain why you are calling. If it’s about a specific piece of legislation, try to identify it both by the bill number (e.g., S.B. 123) and issue area (e.g., the Texas Youth Corrections Reform Bill).
- Make your "ask,” offering one or two concise talking points that support your position.
- Provide local examples of why it matters, if you can.
- Thank the staff person for his or her time.
Email
Email is a convenient way to contact legislators, but it is generally considered to be a less effective means of communication than a phone call. Still, it can be a valuable way to register your position, especially when timing does not permit a call.
When you send an email, put your position in the message line (for example, "Please Vote No on HB 4”). That way, if the message isn’t read, at least the message line will convey your position. Keep the email short, and use standard punctuation, spelling, and capitalization, as you would in a letter.
Letters & Faxes
Writing a letter to your elected official can have a lot of impact, but do keep in mind issues of timing; "snail mail” doesn’t work for a vote happening tomorrow. Keep in mind that form letters do not carry the same weight as those that are personalized. Whatever method you choose, follow these guidelines:
- Keep the letter short and simple – try to keep it to one page. Address only one issue per letter.
- Be courteous and to the point, and include key information.
- State the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph. If you are writing regarding a specific piece of legislation, identify it (e.g., S.B. 50).
- Personal stories work best! Include specific examples that support your position. Information about the local impact of legislation is also very powerful.
- Request a written response asking whether the legislator will support your position.
Below are some addresses for Texas state offices:
To the Governor:
The Honorable (Full Name)
Governor’s Office
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711
To the Lieutenant Governor:
The Honorable (Full Name)
Lt. Governor’s Office
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, TX 78711
To your Texas State Senator:
The Honorable (Full Name)
Texas Senate
P.O. Box 12068 – Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
To your Texas State Representative:
The Honorable (Full Name)
Texas House of Representatives
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
For sample letters, emails, and more, get the Texans Care for Children Advocacy Manual, or attend one of our community advocacy trainings.
