Advocacy Toolkit
Learn how to make a difference in the lives of all of Kentucky’s children by influencing the legislature, the administration, and the media.
How to Be an Advocate
Q. How do KYA members advocate?
There are many ways you can become an effective child advocate. These include:
- Believe that you can make a difference.
- Register and vote.
- Know about your government: know your own local, state, and national representatives.
- Know your issue(s) well and relate that issue by calling, writing letters, and visiting your elected officials
- Tell your story. Make sure your information is accurate, specific. Give your contact information in case there is a need for follow-up.
- Join organizations such as KYA that work to support your issue(s) and to stay informed which policies relate to your own issues so that you can multiply your efforts.
- Educate and involve others in your cause by talking to your neighbors and friends or writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
- Be willing to compromise, but hold elected officials accountable.
- Build relationships. Stay in touch with your representatives all the time-- not just during the session.
- Never give up.
Contacting your Legislators
The best way to contact legislators is the way that is easiest for you. Although KYA gives advice about the differences between writing, calling, faxing, e-mailing and visiting, the most important thing is that legislators hear from you and know how you feel they should vote.
Q. Who is my legislator?
If you are unsure who you legislator is, check here on Kentucky's Legislative Research Commission website or call toll free 1-800-372-7181.
Q. How do I contact my legislator?
To leave messages for legislators call:1-800-372-7181
TTY is available at 1-800-896-0305
Switchboard (ask for legislator):1-502-564-8100
To fax to any legislator: 1-502-564-6543
Address for all legislators:
Senator/Representative
Legislative Offices
701 Capitol Ave.
Frankfort, KY 40601
Legislative Website:
Website:http://www.lrc.ky.gov
Q. How do I contact the Governor?
Phone: 1-502-564-2611
Fax: 1-502-564-2849
Address: Governor Steve Beshear
Kentucky State Capitol
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Website:http://www.kentucky.gov
Q. Is it ever effective to contact legislators that are not mine?
Generally, legislators are only concerned about the opinions of their constituents. However, there are times when it can be effective to contact the chairperson or a member of a particular committee that is deliberating on an issue of concern. Is it also worth knowing the committees that your legislators sits on, so that you may contact them when the respective committees are working on a critical issue.
Writing Your Legislator
Q. Do Senators and Representatives really read the letters, or do they just count them?
Legislators are concerned with how their constituents feel about the issues and have different systems within their offices to keep informed about what their constituents write. Usually, legislators do not personally read letters since they may receive hundreds or even thousands of them on any given issue. However, they have staff members who read the letters, draft responses, and relay constituents messages.
Q. How long, and in what detail, should a letter be to a legislator?
Letters should be concise and clear. The letter should consist of how you feel about an issue and a short explanation of why you feel that way. Legislators and their staff do not need long, detailed accounts of why you support an issue. One exception is when you have a personal story that directly reflects your concern about an issue.
Tips for writing letters:
- Whether you type or write your letters, they should be neat and readable.
- Since letters to your legislators are formal, you should always use a formal address that includes "The Honorable" before the legislator's name and the legislator's title (e.g. Senator, Representative, Delegate.)
- Make sure your name and address is written clearly on the letter.
- If you are writing in support/opposition to a bill, try to include both the bill's title and number.
- Always be courteous and respectful.
- Include only one issue per letter.
Q. When using a sample letter, can I use the letter exactly they way it is, or do I need to re-write it?
Although you can use the letter exactly the way it is, it is best to personalize the letter. When legislators receive many copies of the exact same letters, it decreases the value of that letter. You do not need to completely re-write it, simply edit it in a manner that reflects your opinion.
Q. What about sending pre-printed postcards?
Personal letters are always best, but postcards impact public policy if many people join in the same postcard campaign. While all correspondence with your legislator is important, this method is one of the least effective. While some legislators respond to postcards, others simply count the number they receive. The impact of postcards comes from the volume an office receives, not from the actual message.
Q. What kind of follow-up may be necessary after writing to my legislator?
In most cases, your legislator's office will respond to your letter. You can emphasize your position with a follow-up call.
Faxing & Emailing Your Legislator
Q. Is sending a fax as good as calling or writing?
If you want your opinion registered quickly, for example on a day of an important vote, calling is better than faxing. Frequently, legislators ask for the tally of how many people have called on a pending issue. Faxes are sometimes processed like mail. If time is not an issue, writing letters may still be a better option in most offices.
Q. Is sending an e-mail as good as calling or writing?
Writing or calling is safer than e-mailing.
Q. Is there a preferred format for an e-mail message? What type of information should I include in an e-mail?
The art of constituent communication through e-mail is a developing one. E-mail is informal and there are currently no set rules about e-mailing your legislator. In any communication with your legislator, always include your full name and your home mailing address (as opposed to just your e-mail name and address).
Calling Your Legislator
Q. What will happen when I call my Senator or Representative?
When you call your legislator, the first person you will speak to will be a receptionist who handles all incoming calls. This is most likely the person to who you will be conveying your opinion. Although every office has its own system, receptionists generally record the views of the constituents calling in and pass them on to the appropriate staff member who reports the information to the legislator. Most likely, the receptionist is the only person to whom you will speak.
Q. What do I say when I phone in my opinion?
Simply inform the receptionist that you are a constituent and you would like to convey your feeling on an issue. Receptionists receive dozens to hundreds of constituent calls a day and will guide you through the phone call.
Q. What information do they ask for?
The basic information an office needs is your name, address, the issue about which you are calling and your opinion. It is helpful for you to have the name and/or number of the bill you are discussing. Occasionally, when the legislator requests a tally on a specific issue, the receptionist may only ask for your opinion on the issue without other information.
Q. Will anyone ask me to explain my position? What do I do if I am asked a question I cannot answer?
Receptionists will rarely ask you to explain your views. They have many incoming calls and try to handle each call as quickly as possible. Phone calls are viewed as a means of communicating a brief opinion. For example, "I want Representative Doe to vote against the XYZ bill." If you want to communicate more than that, it would be best to write a letter or schedule a meeting. If you are asked a question you cannot answer, there is nothing wrong with simply saying " I do not know." You might say that you will get back to them with the information and do research or consulting.
Q. What kind of follow-up should I expect after calling my legislator?
If you gave your address, you may receive a letter from your legislator's office thanking you for voicing your views. This is why it is important to leave your name and address.
Visiting Your Legislator
Q. How do I make an appointment to visit my legislator?
Contact you legislator's legislative aide who can be reached by calling the main office number. The legislative aide may set up an appointment over the phone but usually will ask you to send your request in writing. If you send a letter, be sure to include the dates and times you are available, the issues you want to discuss, and the names of others joining you on the visit. If your appointment is arranged over the phone, you should send a letter confirming the appointment date, time, location, the issues you want to discuss, and any other people who will be coming with you.
Q. Who should visit the legislator? Is it better to go alone, or with a group of other KYA members?
Legislators' offices handle various sizes of group meetings. Often it is easier to schedule an appointment if you go as part of a larger group. As a constituent, you can meet on your own or with other like-minded individuals.
Q. Is it better to see legislators in their home offices or in the state or federal capitol?
It does not matter which office you visit. If, however, your legislator is not available to meet at a time that is convenient to you, consider meeting with an aide or another staff member.
Q. What if I can only meet with an aide? Is that still worth doing?
Yes, it is important that you meet with the aide. Aides are important members of a legislator's team, and are relied upon heavily by the legislator. Even if you have a meeting with a legislator an aide will probably be in attendance.
Q. What do I do during a legislative visit? How long should it be?
Although you are not expected to be an expert on the issue, you should be prepared for the visit. Have any materials you will be presenting ready to go. If you visit in a group, it is always a good idea to have one person take the lead. He/She can introduce the group, make a brief statement about why you are there, and then call on various people in the group to talk about their particular concerns.
The better prepared you are the more comfortable you will feel. Legislative visits generally run twenty minutes in length. The staff will guide you through your visit whether you are meeting with them or the legislator. Remember, the job of the legislator and staff members is to represent you, the constituent.
Q. What should I do if I am asked a question I cannot answer?
Explain that you do not have the answer but would be happy to do some research and send the information after the meeting. Make sure that you follow-up with your commitment in a timely manner.
Q. How do I follow up after a visit?
Write a thank you letter to the legislator and staff with whom you met. Reiterate your main arguments on the issues and include any additional information that might have been requested at the meeting. If the legislator was not present, you should still send him/her a copy of the thank you letter you send to the aide.