| |
- DO make an appointment. All Members of Congress have offices in their districts, and Senators usually have two or three throughout the state. Legislators can usually be found in their district offices while Congress is in recess. NAF's Act for Choice page can give you Congressional schedules and office locations.
- DO prepare a packet of information to leave behind; if it's not written down, assume it won't be remembered. Use NAF's facts about abortion, policy resources, and useful links.
- DO be brief and be focused. Be clear about the specific actions you want your legislator to take. Do you want the legislator to sign a letter? Vote a certain way on a bill? Make that clear.
- DO be accessible to staff. They are the nerve center of the office; make sure they know what a great resource you are as a constituent.
- DO follow up! Send a letter of thanks to the office. This is your opportunity to mention issues that weren't brought up in the meeting, and to invite the legislator to upcoming events.
|
- DON'T be argumentative or confrontational. Respectability and persistence are the keys to making your voice heard.
- DON'T be afraid to make it personal. Talk about how reproductive rights affect you.
- DON'T feel you have to know everything. Know when to say "I don't know," and offer to find the answer and follow up.
- DON'T hesitate to ask for clarification. It's not enough for a staff person to tell you that the legislator "supports the right to choose." If you're not satisfied with an answer, say so.
- DON'T take legislators' positions for granted. Be appreciative of legislators who have supported reproductive rights in the past; let them know how much their support means to you.
- DON'T fail to maintain contact with the office. Get the staff person's name who works on abortion issues and use them as your primary contact.
|
