Better Choices For Pennsylvania

Tips for Talking to Lawmakers

To help preserve health care, education, and other critical services funded in the state budget, Pennsylvanians must communicate continuously and consistently with their elected officials to encourage them to take a balanced approach that include tax reforms.

Communication can consist of phone calls, letters, e-mails, or personal visits.

Tips for Phone Calls:

Call state legislators in their Capitol or district offices. When the legislature is in session (see schedule below), state House and Senate members are usually in their Harrisburg offices Mondays through Wednesdays and in their district offices Thursdays and Fridays. Look up your state lawmaker's contact info here.

1. Identify yourself. Tell the person answering the phone who you are, whom you represent, and your reason for calling.
2. Ask to speak with your lawmaker directly. If he or she is not available, ask for a staff person with direct responsibility for your area of interest. A receptionist can share your legislators' schedule and meeting availability.
3. Leave a message with the receptionist or aide, voicing your support or opposition to the House or Senate bill or policy issue in question.
4. Be concise. State your reason for supporting or opposing the bill. Ask the lawmaker's position.
5. Don't burn bridges. Be polite even if the lawmaker does not agree with you. You may need his or her support in the future.
6. Follow up your phone call with a thank you note, briefly restating your conversation.

Personal Visits:

1. Plan your visit carefully. Know what you want to say and how you are going to say it. Click here for suggested talking points.
2. Make an appointment.
3. Be on time, but be patient if necessary. Remember, many people are waiting for the same opportunity to discuss their issues with lawmakers.
4. Bring a reference sheet with quick bullet points about your issue that you can leave with the lawmaker.
5. Find out the lawmaker's position on the issue and the reason for his or her position.
6. Always be polite, even if the lawmaker does not share your position on the issue. You may need his or her support in the future.
7. Follow up your meeting with a thank you note.

Writing Letters, Sending E-mails:

While e-mails, form letters, and petition signing can be effective, they generally are less so than individually signed personal letters

1. When writing letters, state your purpose in the first paragraph. If you are writing about a particular bill, identify it in the first paragraph.
2. Explain the importance of your position.
3. Identify yourself and your organizational affiliation.
4. Keep the letter simple and concise. Address only one issue per letter. Keep your letter short, with only a few sentences in each paragraph and appropriate spacing between paragraphs.
5. Whenever possible, personalize your story.