How to contact officials effectively
Short, specific, local messages get read.
- Find the right person: The official who represents you, at the level that decides the issue.
- Say who you are: Your name and town or ZIP code. Offices prioritize constituents.
- Be specific: Name the bill number or decision and what you want them to do.
- Explain why: One or two sentences about how it affects you or your community.
- Follow up: Check how they voted, and thank them or tell them you noticed.
Phone calls and personal emails or letters usually count more than form letters. Be polite; staff read everything. Every official page on this site lists the official website and contact form.
What you can do
- Find your U.S. Representative, Senators and state legislators.
- Open your state on States to see their votes and bills.
- See Take action for more ideas.
Words used here
- Sponsor and cosponsor
- The sponsor is the member who introduces a bill and leads it. Cosponsors are other members who sign on to show support.
- Roll-call vote
- A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.
Official sources
A simplified overview written by PSI Sci editors from the sources above. Details vary, and exceptions exist. Other guides: How a federal bill becomes law · How a state bill becomes law · The federal budget process · Authorization vs. appropriation · Rulemaking and the Federal Register · Ballot measures and propositions · Levels of government