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Writing Tips
Here are some helpful tips to remember when you are writing a letter to your legislator:
- Address your letter to "Representative Jones" or "Senator Smith." Make sure you use the correct title of your legislator
- Legislators love hand-written letters, but anything sent in the mail is well-received.
- Keep it short and to the point, try to keep your letter to a page or less.
- Try to state only your three most important points.
- State who you are and what you want up front. Make sure you tell your legislator you are a constituent, and what piece of legislation you are referring to (you can find the numbers of bills on the North Carolina General Assembly website.
- Personalize your letter. Let your legislator know why this piece of legislation is important to you. If you have a personal story, include it.
- Legitimize yourself. Did you vote for this legislator? Did you contribute time or money to their campaign? Have you had any business or personal dealings with this legislator before? If so, make sure you state so in your letter.
- Remember that you are the expert. Your legislator's job is to represent you, and they cannot do that effectively without knowing your position. Don't be afraid to take a position, but remember to be courteous and polite.
