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Contacting your legislators via letter, phone, in person

Whether you do it in person, by phone, or letter, communication on a regular basis is the key to good relations with public officials. Keeping legislators informed about pension concerns, trends and successes is the best way to turn them into supporters and even champions.

You can communicate with your legislators in the following ways:

Letter:

• Writing your own letter is more effective than using a mass generated form letter. Personal letters make much more of an impact.
• Keep it short and to the point – preferable no longer than one page.
• Explain your reason for writing in the first paragraph, and explain why you support or oppose the issue you are writing about.
• Timing is important. Pay close attention to the committee and chamber deadlines for the Senate and the House.
• While you can write to any member of the General Assembly, your letter may mean more to the legislator in your district—they are the ones you vote for, and your vote matters to them.
• Address your letter as follows:

  The Honorable (Full Name of Representative or Senator here)
  Illinois State (House or Senate)
  (Room number) Statehouse
  Springfield, IL 62706

• Indicate to your legislator that you would appreciate a response regarding his or her position on the issue you are writing about.

Personal Visit:

• Face to face visits with legislators can be very effective.
• Your legislator’s district office is the best place to schedule an appointment, as legislators usually have limited availability when in Springfield.
• If possible, make an appointment ahead of time.
• Identify yourself and your position on the issue, and how you would like your legislator to vote on the issue.

Telephone:

• Like an in-person visit, the best place to make a phone call to your legislator is when he or she is in your district office.
• The same guidelines for personal visits and letter can be used for telephone contact.
  

A variety of sources provide legislator contact information, including the Illinois General Assembly website www.ilga.gov.

During regular business hours you can also call the State of Illinois switchboard at (217) 782-2000 and ask the operator to connect you with the legislator’s office.