Lawmakers listen to constituents who reach out them to directly. Here are ways you can reach your lawmakers in ways they will listen. 

Contact Information

Call Your Lawmaker

There are times when it's necessary to call your legislator at the Capitol to make a last-minute appeal on an impending vote. Remember to include the following things in your message. 

  • Who you're calling: You'll need to know which Senate district and House district you live in and the name of the legislator you're trying to contact.
  • What you're calling about: State the House bill number or Senate bill number you're calling in reference to and what action you'd like your legislator to take (ie. "please vote no on HB XXXX!")
  • Say thank you!​​ 

Write Your Lawmaker

A well-written, personal letter or email is an invaluable way to make your voice heard. Tips for writing to your legislators:

  • Make it short and sweet: If your legislator is receiving a ton of mail about certain hot-button issues, you’ll want to make your point quickly.
  • Tell a story: The more personal your letter is, the more compelling it will be to your legislator. Tell your legislator how bills will affect you, your family, or your friends.
  • Problem, solution, action: In the letter be sure to include the problem, the solution, and the action you want taken (i.e. “Vote no on HB 1234!”).

In your email or letter, state who you are and what you want up front. 

  • In the first sentence tell your elected official that you are a constituent. Identify your name and address. You should also clearly identify the issue about which you are writing. If your letters pertains to a specific piece of legislation, it helps to identify it by its bill number (HB ___ or SB ____) or simply state the issue in general terms.

    Example: Dear Senator, My name is Jane Smith and I live in your district at 111 Anyplace Lane in Florida. I am writing to you about SB 5 to make our employment practices more fair. I urge you to support these values and this important bill.

Meet Your Lawmaker

Meeting your legislators in person is an effective way to talk to them about what matters to you. And don't forget, check our event page to see if you can join us for a Lobby Day!

Tips for meeting with your legislator:

  1. Schedule your meeting: Email, mail, or call your legislator to request a meeting. When you do this, be sure to tell them what you want to talk about. If you’re their constituent, tell them. If you’re bringing another constituent or someone else to the meeting, let them know. Don’t ambush them with unexpected guests.
  2. Be flexible and patient: Give your legislator time to respond to your request for a meeting. Understand the best time to build your relationship with a legislator is before or after session – legislators are very busy January through March, so keep that in mind!
  3. Once you have a meeting scheduled, it’s time to educate yourself. Is the legislator a co-sponsor of a measure you support? Have they supported issues important to you in the past? Do you have connections in common with the legislator? Can you personalize your relationship? (Do your kids go to school together, for example?)
  4. Decide on your goals and what you hope to get out of this meeting. Introducing yourself? Getting the legislator to understand your point of view on a certain topic? Getting their support or opposition to a particular bill?
  5. Follow up: After the meeting, don’t forget to send a thank you note to leave a lasting impression and strengthen the relationship you’ve established.

Additional Tips for In-Person Meetings

  • Dress professionally.
  • Be prompt and patient.
  • Keep it short and focused! You may have as little as 10 minutes if you meet with your legislator.
  • Make the most of that brief time by sticking to your topic and talking points.
  • Bring up any personal, professional or political connections that you may have to the elected official.
  • Provide personal and local examples of the impact of the legislation. This is the most important thing you can do in a lobby visit.
  • Set deadlines for a response. Ask when you should check back in to find out what your elected official intends to do about your request.