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| Photo by Joshua Sukoff on Unsplash |
1.
Find your representative.
a.
If you are focusing on a local issue, contact
your city council.
b.
For issues effecting the state, contact
you may want to contact your state representative. Texas allows you to search
for your specific representative, but there are also house committees that
focus on specific issues.
c. You can also look up your congress representative through the U.S. House of Representatives.
2.
Make sure you format your letter correctly. Some
representatives accept emails, but it is important to keep the same
information.
a.
American Library Association offers this
example:
Date
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip code
Your E-mail
Your Phone Number
The
Honorable_________________________
House of Representatives or United
States Senate Office Address of Representative or Senator
Dear Representative/Senator
____________________,
3.
Keep the letter brief and to the point. Ideally,
your letter should be no longer than one page.
4.
Introduce yourself first and the key reason
about why you are contacting them. Try to focus on a single issue per letter.
5.
Do your research. You can reference resources to
add credibility to your letter and offer evidence for your cause. Depending on the topic you are addressing the subject guide for Criminal Justice, Sociology, Political Science or Legal Resources may have suggestions of where to start. Or, explore a detailed list of databases, all accessible on or off campus.
6.
Narrow your letter down to three main points and
argue for them.
7.
Personalize your stance. Offer an anecdote from
your life or loved one that relates to the issue and supports your stance.
8.
State your desired outcome. What would you like
to see this representative do to better represent you and your community?
These tips are based on sample letters and writing tips from the American Library Association and the American Civil Liberties Union.
