TEN TIPS ON HOW TO VISIT WITH YOUR LEGISLATOR
1. Get to know him or her beforehand.
Do a little research at the library or online. Dig up their biography or resume and learn about their family life,
schooling, career, interests and associations. Find out what legislative committees they sit on. Discover common
bonds.
2. Make an appointment.
Legislators will be at different offices during different times of the year. For state legislators, during the legislative
session (early January - early July) they are in their Albany offices in the beginning of the week and their district
offices at the end of the week. From mid-July to December it’s best to meet them in their districts.
3. Present your issues(s) briefly and persuasively.
If you’re talking about a particular legislative proposal, have the bill or bill number with you. State your position on
the issue clearly and support your position with facts. Have some background material with you to leave with the
legislator.
4. Be polite.
Be calm, reasonable and respectful. Be politely firm. Threats or open antagonism are never helpful and are often
counterproductive.
5. Be accurate.
If you’re asked a question that you don’t know the answer to, don’t guess. Tell your legislator you’ll provide that
information later...and do so. Giving a legislator misinformation will only erode your credibility.
6. Use personal examples.
If the issue to which you speak directly relates to your life, your job or any firsthand experience, make sure your
legislator hears your story. Parents, teachers, doctors and other professionals all bring with them invaluable
experience.
7. Try to secure a specific response.
If they have not already offered it, politely ask for your legislator’s position on the issue in question. Make whatever
other requests of him or her you desire, e.g. speak to his or her colleagues to generate support for the issue, or talk
to the Majority Leader or Speaker of the House to urge passage. You will not always obtain a firm answer, but you
should try.
8. Don’t ignore the legislator’s staff.
Legislative aides strongly influence a legislator’s vote on specific issues by “filtering” the information he or she
receives and by giving direct advice. Get to know the legislator’s staff and communicate with them often.
9. Follow up.
Always send a letter of thanks to your legislator after a personal meeting. Thank him or her for any commitments
made and press again for commitments as yet “unmade.” Restate your position on the issue. Send any materials
promised.
10. Meet again!
Your initial meeting should only be the beginning of a long-term working relationship. Continue to meet with him or
her on a regular basis to provide the critical information only you can provide. Get on your legislator’s mailing lists
and keep up-to-date on his or her actions.