TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL MEETING WITH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
from United Advocates For Children
of California
Face to face meetings with your elected officials and their key staff aides are an
extremely useful way to get to know them and communicate your views on important issues. Legislators, busy as they are, usually
find time to meet with their constituents. Here are a few tips for having an effective personal meeting with elected officials.
Schedule Your Meetings In Advance
There are many demands made of Legislators both in the State Capitol and at home. Their
schedules fill up quickly. Give them enough lead-time to be able to schedule a meeting and try to be flexible about the time.
We recommend calling to schedule an appointment.
When you call, make sure you identify yourself as a constituent, and state the
purpose of the meeting. For example, "We want to discuss the Senator's/Assemblyman's/Governor's position on funding for children's
mental health."
The following script is intended to help you make a phone call to schedule a visit.
Hi! I'm _____________, from ________________. I will be in Sacramento on
May 20th, and would like an appointment to meet with Governor _______/Senator ______/Assemblyman _______ to
discuss state policy to meet the needs of children with mental health problems and their families. I would be more than happy
to meet with the legislative assistant who works on children, health or education issues if the Governor/Senator/Assemblyman
is unavailable. Is someone available the afternoon of the 20th? If no one is available, I would like to drop by
the office anyway to leave some information for the Governor/Senator/Assemblyman to review.
TIP: Don't just "Drop By" the office and expect to have a meeting.
While legislative offices will always try to accommodate constituents, it can be a
major hassle for them if you drop by unannounced and want to meet with the elected official. You may end up pulling them out
of an important Committee hearing, interrupting a staff meeting or some other critical activity. They'll remember you, but
not in the way you want.
2. Be Prepared - Be Informative - Be Thorough
- Be Concise
You'll rarely have more than 15 or 20 minutes to state your case. So it's very important
for you to be well prepared, and to be able to express your views succinctly and clearly. Here are some ideas to help you
get to the point quickly and be understood.
Make yourself some written notes listing the key points you want to make.
Personalize the issue by explaining very briefly how it affects you, our family,
and others in the community. However, avoid excessive background - get to the point quickly.
Ask for action - tell what you want them to do and explain (again briefly)
how your proposal will make things better.
Be aware of who might oppose your proposal and why. Be prepared to defend your
position with facts.
If the issue is complicated, say so, and leave behind additional material or
offer to provide something in writing that explains the problem and solutions more completely.
3. Bring Written Materials With You, If At All Possible
Given the short amount of time you will have for your meeting, it's always helpful
to have brief "fact sheets," position papers, or other material you can leave behind. The United Advocates for Children of
California will be glad to assist you with fact sheets on major issues. You should plan to bring a brochure of information
about your local or statewide organization to include in the packet.
4. Be On Time - Be Flexible
Don't be late to an appointment. Your legislators are very busy, and may be forced
to skip your meeting altogether if you're running even a few minutes late. If you do get stuck in another meeting and you
know you're going to be a little late, use the office phone to call ahead and let your next appointment know when you expect
to arrive. They'll try their best to accommodate you, if you give them a little warning.
On the other hand, you may be kept waiting or your meeting may be interrupted. Sometimes
you may have to conduct your business while you walk with your elected official to a committee meeting.
5. Don't Be Disappointed If You Meet With Staff Instead Of The Elected Official
Last minute changes in schedule may force a Legislator to ask that you meet with their
staff aides. Don't be upset if this happens! Key staff aides are often more familiar with children's or other policy issues
than their busy bosses. Many are the best possible persons to listen to your point of view and they will advise the member
of legislature of your concerns at precisely the right moment. Meeting with key staff is just as important as meeting personally
with elected officials - sometimes more so.
6. Don't Argue
If there's a disagreement over policy issues, present your case in a straightforward
and forceful manner. Don't get bogged down and waste your valuable and limited time in an argument if the Legislator or staffer
doesn't agree with you. "Agree to disagree" for the moment, and move on to your next topic. You can always follow up on points
of disagreement with a letter explaining your views in further detail.
7. "Personalize" The Issue
State policies are intended to have broad impact. It may be hard for elected officials
to have a clear picture of how their votes on a complicated law actually end up affecting their individual constituents. Explain,
in your own words, how the policy personally affects the lives of children and families in their district. Tell one or two
very short real stories to illustrate this. You will help your legislator better understand the consequences of the policy
on real people who vote for them.
8. Be Inclusive
Remember that state laws also affect providers of services. Try to frame the matter
as a "parent-driven" or "family-driven" issue.
9. Volunteer To Be A Resource Contact
Legislators and their staff aides will always welcome a constituent who is knowledgeable
on specific issues and is willing to be a local resource contact who can give them advise on short notice. Make sure you let
them know your area of expertise and leave contact information with them.
10. Always Follow Up With A "Thank You"
When you get home, don't forget to send the person you met with a "thank you" note
for meeting with you. This is also an opportunity to briefly restate your position or concern and requested action and enclose
additional information. If you met with a staff person (not a Legislator), send a separate letter to the Legislator they work
for letting them know that their staff aide has ably represented their views.
