Letters and emails are a tried and true advocacy tactic

With the exception of those in leadership roles, many elected officials have no staff or admin team. That means the majority of time, they’re the ones who are answering when constituents write in. The amount of mail an elected official gets on a certain issue can help determine its importance in their eyes. For example, if an elected official is getting a dozen or so emails and letters saying “vote NO on XYZ,” it will make a big impression, if it doesn't there's a recourse for that. 

As with any other meeting or communication with your elected official, timing, tact, and delivery is key. Be tactful, be honest, and share a personal story. Facts are important, but personal and relatable stories can play a powerful role in changing hearts, minds, and votes.

A note on hand-written correspondence:

Every elected official should have a state issued email address, which means the note you send should be securely recieved. Keep in mind during the legislative sessions or busier times of year, your lawmaker might be away from their desk during normal hours or they might not get your note in time for a crucial vote. In times of urgency, consider calling or showing up to their office or the Capital.

Tips for writing to your elected official:

• Make it short and sweet: If your elected official is receiving dozens of correspondences about certain hot-button issues, you’ll want to make your point quickly and directly
• Tell your story and/or make it personal: The more personal your letter is, the more compelling it will be. Tell your elected official how their decisions affect you, your family, and your friends.
• Problem, solution, action: In the letter be sure to include the problem, the solution, and the action you want taken (i.e. “Trans kids are under attack and it is your duty to defend the people you were elected to represent. Vote on on HB 123.)”).
• A well-written, personal letter or email is an invaluable way to make your voice heard.

Sample letter:

"SB 1234 undermines the ability of women and families to make personal and private medical decisions. They also dictate the relationship between health care providers and their patients, putting patients' health at risk.

It is important to respect reproductive autonomy and reserve personal decisions regarding health care and family planning to a woman and her chosen support team. Please do not allow politicians with little to no medical knowledge dictate how South Dakota women are supposed to access reproductive health care.

Please don’t allow these far-reaching bills to go any further. Their denial will put private and personal health decisions back where they belong - in the hands of a woman, her family and her doctor. Please vote no on SB 1234."

Meeting your elected official in person is an effective way to talk to them about what matters to you.

In North Dakota, it is very likely that we have a personal connection to any member of elected office around the state. However, it's still OK to feel nervous about setting up a meeting with your elected officials or attending an in-person event. 

Setting up a 1-1 meeting with your elected official:

• Schedule your meeting: Email, write, or call your elected offical to request a meeting. When you do this, be sure to tell them what you want to talk about. If you’re their constituent, tell them that. If you’re bringing another constituent or someone else to the meeting, let them know that too.
• Be flexible, but firm: Give your elected official about a weeks time to respond to your request for a meeting, depending on the time of year they can be busy, but it is still their job to reply to you.
• Be prepared: Before you get to the scheduled meeting, outline your conversation to the best of your ability. Come with a few main points you want to hit and some "bonus" ones to get to if you have and if the conversation is going well. 
  • Do your research: Look up the voting history of your elected official if you can, and get to know their values. This can really help frame your conversation and your ask to them. Take time to find out if you have anything in common whether its related to your ask or not. Building a personal relationship or connection can be key to a successful meeting. 
  • Determine your top goals, and even a backup plan: You must go into this meeting with an idea of what you aim to get out of it. Whether it's for them to sign onto a bill or vote yes on setting up new park benches. No matter the goal, make sure you have at least one, and back up plan if the conversations starts going sideways. 
  • Map out the meeting: If more than one person is attending, make sure you know who is speaking about what, who takes notes, and what everyone’s roles are.
• Follow up: This might be one of the most important pieces. If you don't get a solid win, ater the meeting, send a thank you note and follow up email to reinforce your points and press for a an answer or solution. Remind your elected official that you're paying attention, and really want their input on your issue or topic of conversation. 

In-person or virtual meeting guidelines:

• Be at least 5-10 minutes early, especially if you're hosting the online meeting or in-person meting 
• Be tactful 
• Be honest
• Come with the facts, but back them up with personal testimony
• Leave something behind, like literature, a note, or a photo, to remind your legislator(s) why you met with them  
• After the meeting, send a thank you note and proper follow up

There are times when it's necessary to call your legislators at the Capitol to make a last-minute appeal on an impending vote.

In that case, you'll oftentimes be calling an office line which won't directly connect you with who you're trying to reach. That's why it's important to prepare what you're going to say ahead of time. 

As with any other meeting or communication with your elected official, tact is key. Remember to include the following things in your message: 

1. Who you're calling: You'll need to know which district or city you live in and the name of the legislator or elected dofficial you're trying to contact.
2. What you're calling about: State the bill number you're calling in reference to and what action you'd like your legislator to take (ie. "please vote no on bill xxxx!")
3. Say thank you to the person you speak with and leave your phone number or email for follow up. Let them know you will follow up within a week if you don't get a call back.