Table of Contents >
Chapter 33. Conducting a Direct Action Campaign >
Section 1. Writing Letters to Elected Officials >
Writing Letters to Elected Officials |
Tools & Checklists | Contributed by Jenette Nagy Edited by Jerry Schultz |
Checklist
Here you'll find a checklist summarizing the major points contained in the text.
___You have decided who you will write to
___The official you have chosen has the authority to make a decision about your issue
___You have begun the letter in an official manner, including the official’s full name and title
___The purpose for which you are writing is clear
___You have summarized your understanding of the issue
___The general impact that you expect to occur if a particular decision is made is stated
___You have explained your position on this issue in detail
___The positive and negative effects the decision will have on you are described
___You have identified others who may be affected by the decision
___Statistics have been included if available and appropriate
___You have told the official about appropriate actions and decisions he or she has made in the past
___The action that you want taken is stated specifically
___If your letter opposes some action, you have offered an alternative
___You have offered your help if you have available time
___You have thanked the official for their time
___The letter is signed with your full name
___Your address and phone number are listed under your name at the end of the letter
___The letter you have written is free of spelling and grammatical errors
__ You communicate with all potential letter writers at the start of a letter-writing campaign to inform them about the issue and the need for the campaign.
__ You provide a template for the letters to be written.
__ You make sure there’s help available for those for whom letter-writing is difficult.
__ You use e-mail if you can.