Contacting representatives: best method

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Contacting representatives: best method

Postby Lumpy on Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:24 am

I've heard in various places (couldn't vouch for veracity) that emails have little or no impact with senators and representatives. If this is true, what methods are taken more seriously? The alternatives would be fax, mailed letter, phone call, or visiting in person. How do these different methods rank in terms of impact?
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Re: Contacting representatives: best method

Postby mrp on Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:39 am

Lumpy wrote:I've heard in various places (couldn't vouch for veracity) that emails have little or no impact with senators and representatives. If this is true, what methods are taken more seriously? The alternatives would be fax, mailed letter, phone call, or visiting in person. How do these different methods rank in terms of impact?


I spoke with a student who interned for a MN state senator last year. She said that in her office they do not weigh postal mail, phone calls, and emails differently. If you want a reply via mail, send in a letter. If you don't, an email or phone call is just as effective. Other offices may see things differently, but she didn't have any reason to think her office was out of the ordinary.
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Re: Contacting representatives: best method

Postby jshuberg on Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:26 am

I've been told that many weigh face-to-face visits the highest, hand written letters next, phone calls and then finally emails. The problem with emails, there are so many robots out there that they don't know if there's a real person behind it or not. If you do send an email, make sure to provide all of your contact info - name, address, phone #, and email address, etc. If you are a constituent, make sure to point that out as well.

If your representative has a town-hall style meeting, meet with as many neighbors as possible, and sync up on your message and get your talking points down, and overwhelm him/her with your position. This will be remembered.

One thing I highly suggest is that when asking for something, be polite about it. Don't bang your fist on the table or shake it at the sky. When on the defense, when our rights are at risk, that may be a reasonable tactic to use, but not when your trying to convince someone to support your position. When you're contacting your rep, regardless of the how you do it, you'll be seen as an ambassador to the gun-rights community. Make a point to represent us as a polite, law-abiding, level-headed majority.
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Re: Contacting representatives: best method

Postby 2in2out on Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:04 pm

There are so many good bills this session and definitely a bad one. We have a vested interest in all of them. Thanks for discussing the most effective way to contact our elected representatives.
"...the liberties of the American people were dependent upon the ballot-box, the jury-box, and the cartridge-box; that without these no class of people could live and flourish in this country..." ---Frederick Douglass
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Postby IDPA Shooter on Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:18 pm

I agree with the above, but I think it is good to engage our representatives in multiple levels. I am also quite interested in education and transportation and also write or contact them on these matters. A contribution never hurts and since the state gives back up to $50 per adult it can be pretty painless. My Wright County rep and senator are very pro gun and I do let them know I am aware and fully support their efforts.
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