Visiting Elected Officials

Personal visits are the most effective method of building a relationship with legislators.

Before the meeting:

1. Do your homework. Find out what issues your Representative or Senator cares about and where your specific issue stands on the elected official’s list of priorities. You can do this by visiting their website (http://www.house.state.tx.us and http://www.senate.state.tx.us), asking their local offices for their newsletters, or finding out what legislative committees they sit on (available on their website).
2. Contact the office. During session, legislators are in their offices at the Capitol, but each legislator also has a district office where you can meet. You may have better luck arranging a meeting if you contact legislators during times when they are back in their district, such as in between sessions or during holidays. You should also be open to working with staff if a legislator is unable to meet with you personally. Ask if you can speak with the staff member who is working on your particular issue area (e.g., education, health, etc.). Staff may have more time and knowledge about your issue than the legislator.
3. Be prepared—practice speaking. After you create an agenda for the meeting, create a brief elevator speech and practice it with at least one other person. Be brief, clear, and to the point. You will also want to assemble a packet of supporting materials or handouts you wish to leave with the legislator.
4. Choose individual roles for the meeting. If you are going in a small group (no more than three people), plan out roles ahead of time. It’s generally best to have one main speaker. Choose one person who will be responsible for taking notes, writing down any commitments your legislator makes and any follow-up that needs to be done after the meeting.
5. Inspire yourselves. Prior to the meeting, spend at least a few minutes having each person speak about why he or she cares about this issue and why you are going to this meeting.

At the meeting:

1. Be on time – but be patient! It is not uncommon for a legislator to be late or to be interrupted. Be flexible. You may choose to continue by meeting with a staff member or reschedule the meeting with the legislator for another time.
2. Connect with your Representatives, Senators, and aides. Introduce yourself and your organization. If you live in the legislator’s district, let them know. Establish a personal connection with your legislator and your legislator’s staff in the meeting by asking them to share the issues they care about. Share your own vision and concerns.
3. Acknowledge your legislator. It is rare that our Representatives and Senators hear the words "Thank You” from their constituents. Thank the legislator for past or current support. Thank the legislator for meeting with you and for his or her consideration, even if you are not well received. More than likely your point person in the office will be a legislative aide, so be sure to take time to thank the staff as well.
4. Be concise. Prepare material with key points. Leave staff with a one page document with bullet points that includes your name, organization (if relevant), and contact information. Plan on having 5-10 minutes to communicate your position. Develop a clear message and practice staying focused on it!
5. Be prepared to respond to opposition on the issue. Know what the opposition is saying. There may be very articulate arguments against what you are asking for. Be prepared and do your homework on any opposition. Have talking points prepared to defend your position, but do not take time to focus on the opposing arguments, unless asked to.
6. Be helpful. If you don’t know an answer or how to respond to a question, tell the aide or legislator you will get them that information after the meeting. Be sure to provide this information to them promptly after the meeting!
7. Don’t be a fanatic. Fair, balanced, and thoughtful conversations will keep the door to your member’s office open even if you don’t find common ground. Be a good listener and allow the legislator to voice his or her thoughts on the issue. Be prepared to refute respectfully any arguments you hear. Have strong points supporting your position prepared ahead of time, but don’t be argumentative! Always leave with a thank you and a commitment to follow up with relevant information.
8. Make the issues real. One of the most powerful ways we can advocate for our issues is to have someone speak who has been directly affected by these issues and can share their experiences. Be yourself. No one can tell your story better than you. You do not need to be an expert on the topic, but you must be prepared to discuss how the issue affects you or the group you represent.
9. Paint the big picture and the small picture. For example, one person could tell a story about how the issue has affected him or her personally (the small picture); then, someone else could provide the current state or national statistics and impact (the big picture).
10. Make specific, clear requests and ask for an answer. Often, the main reason groups have unsatisfactory meetings is that their requests were not clear and specific enough. Your legislators need to know what you want them to do (what bill you want them to sponsor, what other Representative or Senator you want them to speak to, how you want them to vote). However, in addition to the specific requests you bring, don't be afraid to ask the Senator or Representative what else they see they could do on your issue, even if they say no to your original request.
11. Know your next steps. At the meeting, ensure that the next steps for follow-up are clear (what your group will do next, what the legislator/aide will do next) and that you know which aides to contact following the meeting.

After the meeting:

1. Send a thank you letter. Thank the legislator or aide for meeting with you, and restate your main points from the meeting. You can use the thank you note also as an occasion to do your next step….
2. Follow up. Be sure to follow up with the appropriate person(s) on anything you said you would send (answers to questions, copies of publications, etc.). Without follow-up, your effort in scheduling a meeting and speaking powerfully about your issues could be wasted.

For more tips on legislative visits, get the Texans Care for Children Advocacy Manual, or attend one of our community advocacy trainings.