It can be difficult to get the attention of your political representative, they are generally extremely busy people and usually have little time to lurk on social media. So, understanding what methods of engagement and communication avenues that work most effectively can be the key to making sure your concern or message is delivered loud and clear.
Emily Ellsworth, a former Congressional staffer, took to Twitter recently to help provide a little constructive guidance. The advice has proved such a hit that she followed up her thread with a FAQ video.
It rarely gets as concise as a tweet, but here are some of Emily’s best points to takeaway.
1) Don’t expect to be heard on social media. Other than fellow constituents, the only people who really are paying attention to Facebook and Twitter feeds are staffers who are more interested in rooting out abusive comments than forwarding your issue.
2) Snail mail beats email. There are pros and cons to each of these communication mediums. An email is quick and efficient, while a letter can take days or even weeks to come back. A hardcopy letter in the hands of an official will be read more closely than an on-screen email, which is generally scanned, according to Ellsworth.
3) Going local can be as effective as going to the top. Ellsworth recommends writing to your district office instead of contacting Washington. It might feel better appealing to the higher power, but being heard in the political vortex is next to impossible. Local issues are best heard at a local level.
4) Pick up the damn phone. Nothing is as direct as calling your representative’s office. A call can’t be ignored like an email or letter can. Staffers keep track of any emergent trends or patterns in subject matter, and a coordinated call campaign will get your cause noticed.
5) Show up. Direct participation is key to bypassing all the bureaucracy, and the best chance to be heard is at a local forum attended by local people with the same concerns as you. Town hall meetings are traditionally the place for this where your representative can meet constituents face-to-face.
I worked for Congress for 6 years, and here's what I learned about how they listen to constituents.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
First, tweeting or writing on Facebook is largely ineffective. I never looked at those comments except to remove the harassing ones.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
Second, writing a letter to the district office (state) is better than sending an email or writing a letter to DC.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
But, the most effective thing is to actually call them on the phone. At their district (state) office. They have to talk to you there.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
We repped half a million people, it was impossible to read and respond personally to all letters. Impossible.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
This was something in particular that I cared about as a staffer and worked very hard on, but the sheer volume of emails is overwhelming
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
So, we batched them with computer algorithms and sent out form letters based on topic and position. Regardless of method received.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
But, phone calls! That was a thing that shook up our office from time. One time, a radio host gave out our district office phone # on air.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
If we started getting a pattern of calls, I called up our DC office and asked if they were getting the same calls and we talked.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
If you want to talk to your rep, show up at town hall meetings. Get a huge group that they can't ignore. Pack that place and ask questions.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
We held town halls consistently that fewer than 50 people showed up for. And it was always the same people. So, shake it up.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
Are you noticing a pattern here? The staff are the ones who run the ground game for Congress. Work on helping them understand and learn.
— Emily Coleman (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
H/T Lifehacker