Chapter 33. Conducting a Direct Action Campaign | Community Tool Box

What is a message to an elected official?

A written message to an elected official is a direct way to communicate your experience, position, question, or request regarding an issue within that official's area of responsibility.

Depending on the office, written communication may take the form of:

• An email
• A message submitted through an official contact form
• A mailed letter
• A message submitted through a legislative or government communication system

The best method depends on the office, the urgency of the issue, and the communication options the official provides.

A thoughtful message can help an elected official understand:

• How a policy affects constituents
• What concerns or priorities exist in the community
• What evidence or experience may be relevant
• What action the writer is requesting

Written communication is one advocacy tool among many. Depending on the issue, it may be combined with public testimony, meetings, coalition work, formal public-comment processes, community organizing, or other forms of civic participation.

Why write to elected officials?

You may contact an elected official:

• To explain how a proposed or existing policy affects you or your community
• To express support for a proposed law, policy, budget item, appointment, or course of action
• To express opposition to a proposed law, policy, budget item, appointment, or course of action
• To provide relevant information, research, community experience, or historical context
• To recommend an alternative approach
• To ask an official to take a specific action
• To request a meeting
• To ask an official to explain their position or vote
• To thank an official for an action you support
• To respectfully express concern about an action you oppose
• To request help with a government program, agency, or administrative problem

Constituent services

Elected officials and their staff often assist constituents who are having difficulty with government agencies or programs.

Depending on the office, constituent-service requests may involve:

• Veterans' benefits
• Social Security or other federal benefits
• Immigration case inquiries
• Public-assistance programs
• State or local agency problems
• Delays or confusion involving government services

Officials cannot necessarily change an agency decision or bypass applicable law, but their staff may be able to request information, clarify a process, or help identify the appropriate agency contact.

Individual constituent cases can also reveal broader problems in policy or administration.

Building a constructive relationship

Consistent, accurate, respectful communication can help an official and staff understand that your organization or community has relevant knowledge about an issue.

The purpose should not be primarily to build personal influence with people in power.

A stronger goal is to become a reliable source of information and community perspective.

When should you write to elected officials?

Contact an official when your message can contribute meaningfully to a decision, oversight process, public discussion, or constituent-service matter.

Timing may be especially important:

• Before a vote
• During a budget process
• During a legislative or regulatory review
• During a public-comment period
• When a relevant committee is considering the issue
• Soon after an action you support or oppose
• When implementation problems become apparent
• When you need constituent assistance

Before a vote

If an elected body is preparing to vote, contact the relevant officials early enough that they or their staff can review the message.

Include:

• The bill, ordinance, resolution, budget item, or policy involved
• Your position
• Your reason
• The action you are requesting

During a budget process

Budgets determine whether many public policies and services can actually be implemented.

If your concern involves funding, explain:

• What program, service, or responsibility is affected
• What funding is being requested or opposed
• Who would be affected
• What evidence supports your position
• What consequences may follow from the funding decision

During an election period

Election periods may increase public attention to policy issues and create additional opportunities for constituents to ask candidates and officeholders about their positions.

Do not assume that elected officials are responsive only because they fear losing votes.

Focus on the issue, the official's responsibilities, and the action you are requesting.

After an important action

Contacting an official soon after a vote, policy decision, public statement, or administrative action can make your response timely and specific.

Explain clearly what you supported or opposed and why.

If you believe serious misconduct occurred, distinguish documented facts from allegations and use appropriate oversight, ethics, investigative, or legal processes when necessary.

How do you write to an elected official?

Identify the right recipient

Start by determining who actually has authority or responsibility for the issue.

Depending on the issue, the appropriate recipient may be:

• A city council member
• A mayor
• A county commissioner
• A school-board member
• A state legislator
• A governor
• A member of Congress
• Another elected official

Verify the official's current name, title, district, office contact information, and preferred communication method using an official government source.

Identify yourself appropriately

If you are a constituent, say so.

You may also briefly describe a relevant connection to the issue, such as:

• Resident
• Parent or caregiver
• Student
• Worker
• Small-business owner
• Program participant
• Community volunteer
• Professional working in the field

Share only personal information that is relevant and that you are comfortable providing.

Avoid including sensitive personal information such as account numbers, medical records, immigration documents, or other confidential material in an ordinary advocacy message unless the office has given you a secure method for submitting it.

Use an appropriate greeting

Use the official's current title and name.

Examples include:

Dear Senator Rivera:

Dear Representative Chen:

Dear Councilmember Johnson:

Avoid assuming gender, marital status, or preferred honorific.

When in doubt, follow the form of address used on the official's government website.

State the purpose immediately

In the first paragraph, explain:

• What issue you are writing about
• What action is being considered
• What you are asking the official to do

For example:

I am a resident of your district writing to ask you to support funding for expanded evening bus service in the upcoming transportation budget.

Explain why the issue matters

Briefly describe the relevant effects.

You may use:

• Personal experience
• Community experience
• Current data
• Research
• Program information
• Examples of implementation problems

Use evidence accurately.

If you include a statistic, identify the source when practical.

Do not include an old or unverified number simply because it strengthens the argument.

Distinguish evidence from prediction

If you are describing what you expect a policy to do, make clear whether the claim is:

• Supported by research
• Based on local experience
• A reasonable prediction
• Your own opinion

Avoid promising that a policy will produce a specific result unless the evidence supports that conclusion.

Explain how people may be affected

Describe who is affected and how.

Numbers can help establish scale, but the importance of a concern should not depend only on how many people are affected.

A serious rights, safety, accessibility, or discrimination issue may matter even when it affects a smaller population.

Personal experience can add context

Personal experience can help an official understand how a policy works in everyday life.

For example:

The last evening bus leaves before my shift ends, so I currently pay for a rideshare several times a week to get home.

Personal stories and statistics are not competing forms of evidence.

When appropriate, use both: personal experience can explain the human effect, while data can show whether a broader pattern exists.

Acknowledge relevant previous action

If the official has previously taken an action relevant to the issue, it may be appropriate to mention it.

Be specific rather than offering generic praise.

For example:

Thank you for supporting last year's funding increase for accessible bus stops.

Make a specific request

State exactly what you want the official to do.

Examples include:

• Vote for or against a specific bill
• Support or oppose a budget item
• Sponsor or cosponsor legislation
• Request agency information
• Support a public hearing
• Meet with constituents
• Ask an agency to review an implementation problem
• State a position on an issue

Include a bill number, ordinance number, budget item, or deadline when available.

Offer an alternative when appropriate

If you oppose a proposal, it may strengthen the usefulness of your message to explain what you believe should happen instead.

An alternative is especially helpful when you can explain:

• Why it better addresses the problem
• What evidence supports it
• What it would cost
• How it could be implemented

Offer relevant assistance

If your organization has useful research, community knowledge, technical expertise, or participant perspectives, you may offer to provide additional information.

Do not imply that the official must rely on your organization as the sole authority on the issue.

Keep the message focused

A concise message is generally easier for an office to review and route to the appropriate staff member.

Focus on one primary issue or request unless the topics are closely connected.

If extensive documentation is necessary, consider attaching or linking to a short brief rather than placing every detail in the body of the message.

Close clearly

Thank the official or staff for considering the message.

Include enough contact information for a response.

Depending on your preference and the office's requirements, this may include:

• Full name
• City or ZIP code
• Mailing address when needed to verify constituency
• Email address
• Phone number if you want to be contacted that way

Do not publish or share someone's personal contact information without permission.

Review before sending

Check:

• The recipient
• Bill or policy numbers
• Dates
• Statistics
• Links
• Spelling and grammar
• Whether the requested action is clear

Perfect grammar is not a requirement for meaningful civic participation.

Clarity and accuracy matter more than polished writing.

Choosing a communication method

There is no single best communication method for every official or situation.

Check the official office's current instructions.

Email and web contact forms

Email or an official web form may be appropriate when:

• A decision is approaching quickly
• The office identifies electronic communication as a preferred method
• You want to include links to supporting information
• You want a written record of the message

Use a clear subject line.

For example:

Constituent request: Support HB 214 – Evening Transit Funding

Postal mail

A mailed letter may still be useful in some circumstances.

Allow additional time for delivery and any security screening or internal processing.

Do not assume postal mail will necessarily receive more attention than electronic communication.

Phone calls

A phone call may be appropriate for a short, time-sensitive message.

Be prepared to provide:

• Your name
• Whether you are a constituent
• The issue or bill
• The action you are requesting

Meetings

For complex issues, a meeting with the official or relevant staff may allow more detailed discussion.

A concise written message before or after the meeting can provide a useful record of the request and supporting information.

Letter-writing and message campaigns

A coordinated campaign may encourage many community members to contact one or more elected officials about the same issue.

Such campaigns can demonstrate that an issue matters to multiple constituents, but the goal should not simply be to generate a large volume of identical messages.

Individualized messages are generally more informative because they show:

• Why the writer cares
• How the issue affects them
• What action they want

Support participants without scripting their views

Campaign organizers can provide:

• A clear explanation of the issue
• Current bill or policy information
• Contact information for appropriate officials
• Suggested questions or prompts
• A sample structure
• Translation or interpretation
• Writing assistance
• Disability accommodations

Participants should remain free to express their own views in their own words.

Avoid asking people to sign or send a message they do not understand or agree with.

Templates can help, but avoid identical scripts

A template may show:

• How to address the official
• How to identify the issue
• How to make a request
• Where to include personal experience
• How to close the message

Treat the template as a guide rather than a message that everyone must copy exactly.

Participation should not depend on writing skill

People may have many reasons for wanting help with a written message, including:

• Limited familiarity with the political process
• Limited literacy
• Disability
• Language differences
• Limited experience with formal writing
• Concern about retaliation
• Lack of confidence communicating with government institutions

Do not assume that people who need writing assistance know little about the issue itself.

Someone may understand the effect of a policy extremely well while needing help with formatting, language, accessibility, or legislative terminology.

Protect privacy and informed choice

Some participants may be asked to describe personal experiences involving:

• Disability
• Health
• Immigration
• Housing
• Public assistance
• Employment
• Education

People should decide for themselves what details they are comfortable sharing.

Explain that messages to government offices may be retained according to public-records, records-management, or office policies.

Do not pressure participants to disclose sensitive information because a personal story might be persuasive.

Sample structure

Dear Councilmember Rivera:

I am a resident of Ward 3 writing to ask you to support funding for expanded evening bus service in the upcoming city transportation budget.

I work evenings, and the current route ends before my shift does. I currently spend substantially more on transportation several nights each week. Other workers in my neighborhood have described similar difficulties.

According to the city's transit report, evening service on this corridor has lower frequency than daytime service even though several large employers operate later shifts.

I ask you to support the proposed funding for an evening-service pilot and to include rider feedback in the city's evaluation of the program.

Thank you for considering my request. I would be glad to provide additional information about my experience.

Sincerely,
[Name]
[City or ZIP code]
[Preferred contact information]

In Summary

Written communication with elected officials can help constituents share experience, evidence, concerns, and recommendations with the people responsible for public decisions.

Contact the official who has relevant authority and use the communication method the office currently accepts or recommends.

State the issue and requested action early.

Explain why the issue matters using accurate information, personal experience, community evidence, or research as appropriate.

Personal experience can provide important context, while data can help show whether the experience reflects a broader pattern.

Do not assume that one is inherently more persuasive or more important than the other.

Be specific about what you want the official to do.

If you oppose a proposal, offer an evidence-informed alternative when practical.

Keep the message focused, respectful, and accurate.

Review names, bill numbers, dates, sources, and contact information before sending.

Coordinated message campaigns can broaden participation, but participants should understand the issue and express their own views rather than simply sending identical scripts.

Provide writing, language, accessibility, or civic-process support when needed without assuming that people requiring that support lack knowledge about the issue.

Protect personal information and let participants decide how much of their own experience they wish to share.

Finally, remember that writing an elected official is not primarily about gaining personal influence with someone in power.

It is a way for people to participate in public decision-making by communicating what they know, what they experience, what they believe, and what action they want their representatives to consider.

Example 1: Proposed Actions to Protect Vulnerable Groups in Spain during the COVID-19 Crisis

The sample letter details a message to the City Council in Seville, Spain, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The correspondence is written by a research team at the University of Seville in collaboration with a group of NGOs, and addressed specifically to the city's mayor, Juan Espadas. The community-based organizations recognize that the mayor is empowered with the capacity and privilege to make a difference in the functioning of the city's most vulnerable neighbors, comprised largely of Roma and migrant settlements. Multiple organizations, detailed in the attached letter, ask of actions being taken to comply with recommendations adopted by the Spanish government and offer their support in urgent efforts to protect the lives of these at-risk populations during a time of unpredictability.  ​

Download PDF Copy of Letter

Example 2: Supporting a Proposed Policy Change

1324 114th St. Suite #174
Norwalk, CT 06801

March 24, 1999

Honorable Mayor Cala Milan:

I was pleased to hear that the City Commission was considering a proposal to strengthen the handicapped parking ordinance. I urge your support for it.

I am a disabled American veteran who uses a wheelchair. Despite my disability, I drive my own van, as many other disabled citizens do. I value being as independent as I can possibly be.

The new ordinance is designed to discourage non-handicapped persons from parking in spots that are reserved for those with physical disabilities. The proposal has already led to publicity about the problems citizens with disabilities have getting a convenient place to park. This has increased the sensitivity of the general public. Further, an occasional $250 ticket ought to keep those important spaces open for those who need them.

For me, this new ordinance will mean that I can drive anywhere in town I need to go and have a fair chance of being able to park and go in. The latest census statistics indicate there are over 1,200 people in our community who are similarly affected and who have similar needs.

Your votes on the architectural accessibility ordinance in the past have demonstrated your support for disability issues. I urge you now to vote in favor of the new parking ordinance. It will mean a lot to me personally, and to the many others in our community who are disabled. It may also bring in some additional revenue to the city.

If there is any way I might be of assistance, please don't hesitate to call on me. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Stergios Hardage
14 Cottage Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06801
(203) 555-8630

Example 3: Opposing a Proposed Policy Change

7862 Seneca
Wichita KS, 67134

Honorable Mayor Madio Smolanka:

As the coordinator of the Pleasant Rock Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. I am writing to express my strongest concern over the proposed city funding cuts for the Teen Activities Center (TAC). Closing the Center would have several negative consequences for the youth of the city and the city itself. It would give our youth one less place they can go to relax and have a good time in a safe, healthy environment.

For my coalition, the closure of the center would have other, more direct consequences as well. Currently, our Teen Mothers' Support Group meets at the center on a weekly basis to discuss the challenges of motherhood, finishing school, and getting jobs. More than two-thirds of the (25) participants do not have their own means of transportation; so it is imperative that meetings be held in the neighborhood of the participants (the Potwin area, where the TAC is located), or at least on a major bus route. No public building is nearly as well suited to meet both of these requirements, as is the TAC.

In addition, the Teen Center hosts a variety of activities that are athletic, artistic, or just plain fun for young people. Their ability to participate in these activities is vital to helping them acquire the self-esteem needed to say "no" to potentially unsafe behaviors, such as engaging in sex prematurely or experimenting with drugs, as well as stay in school and prepare for meaningful work.

You have always been sensitive to the needs of our young people, and have been quick to recognize that they are the future of our community. I urge you to vote against this new proposal to cut the funding for the Teen Activities Center. Surely cuts can be made that will be, in the end, less costly to all of us than threatening the well-being of our children.

If I can help in any way to defeat this proposal, let me know. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mary K. Steinert
1001 Park Walk Road
Wichita, KS 67134
(316) 555-2685

___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.

• What is a letter to the editor?

• Why write a letter to the editor?

• When should you write one?

• How should you submit it?

• How do you write an effective letter?

• How can you improve the chances that it will be published?

What is a letter to the editor?

A letter to the editor is a short public response submitted to a news organization or other publication for possible publication.

Letters may:

• Respond to a recent article, editorial, event, or public decision
• Correct or clarify information
• Express a position on a community issue
• Share relevant lived experience
• Provide evidence or context
• Recommend a specific action
• Recognize useful community work

Today, letters may appear in print, on a publication's website, in an app, in an email newsletter, or in another digital opinion section.

Each publication sets its own rules about:

• Length
• Topics
• Verification
• Identification
• Exclusivity
• Editing
• Submission method

Check the publication's current guidelines before writing.

Why write a letter to the editor?

A letter to the editor can contribute to public discussion by adding information, experience, analysis, or a perspective that readers may not otherwise encounter.

You might write:

• To respond to a recent news story or editorial
• To clarify a misunderstanding
• To explain how a policy affects people in the community
• To share relevant evidence
• To support or oppose a proposed action
• To suggest an alternative
• To encourage public participation
• To thank or recognize people for constructive work

The purpose should not be simply to generate attention for your organization.

A stronger goal is to add useful information or perspective to an ongoing public conversation.

Letters can connect evidence with lived experience

A short letter may combine:

• Personal or community experience
• A relevant statistic
• A recent event
• A policy recommendation

Personal experience can show what an issue looks like in everyday life.

Data can help show whether the experience reflects a broader pattern.

Neither should automatically be treated as more important than the other.

When should you write a letter to the editor?

Letters are often most useful when they are connected to a current public conversation.

Consider writing when:

• A relevant article or editorial has recently appeared
• A local policy or budget decision is being considered
• A public meeting, hearing, election, or community event has raised the issue
• Important information has been left out of recent coverage
• A misleading claim needs clarification
• Community members are discussing a problem that deserves broader attention
• An organization or public body has taken an action worth supporting or questioning

Timeliness matters because many publications prioritize letters connected to recent coverage or events.

When a letter may not be the best tool

A letter to the editor may not be the best format when:

• You need to announce an event or organizational action
• You need substantial space to explain a complex issue
• You are reporting possible misconduct that requires investigation
• You need to contact a specific official or agency directly

Depending on the goal, a news tip, press release, guest essay, public comment, formal complaint, report, direct message to an official, or another format may be more appropriate.

How should you submit your letter?

Follow the publication's current submission instructions.

Publications may accept letters through:

• An online submission form
• Email
• A reader-account system
• Postal mail
• Another designated process

Do not assume that every publication prefers email or postal mail.

Submission requirements change, and many organizations now use forms or digital systems that collect verification information.

Check the rules first

Before submitting, look for:

• Maximum word count
• Whether the letter must respond to recent coverage
• Required name and contact information
• Whether organizational affiliation should be disclosed
• Whether the publication accepts previously published material
• Whether the publication edits accepted letters
• Whether simultaneous submissions are allowed

How do you write a letter to the editor?

Start with the point

The opening sentence should tell readers what issue you are addressing and why.

Avoid spending the first paragraph building up to the main point.

For example:

The city's proposed reduction in evening bus service would make it harder for many workers to reach jobs that end after the current route schedule.

Connect the letter to something current

When relevant, refer to:

• A recent article
• An editorial
• A public meeting
• A local event
• A policy proposal
• A recent decision

This helps readers understand why the issue matters now.

Explain the issue plainly

Use clear language that readers outside your field can understand.

Define technical terms when necessary.

Do not assume that readers already know:

• The history of the issue
• Specialized terminology
• The names of programs or agencies
• Why the issue matters to your community

Support your claims

If you criticize or praise a policy, organization, or public action, explain the basis for your conclusion.

Depending on the topic, support may include:

• Public records
• Current local data
• Research
• Direct observation
• Personal experience
• Documented community experience

Avoid using statistics without checking the source, date, and relevance.

A striking number is not useful if it is outdated, misquoted, or drawn from a different population or setting.

Distinguish fact, interpretation, and opinion

Be clear about whether a statement is:

• A documented fact
• Your interpretation
• A prediction
• A personal experience
• A policy preference

This helps readers evaluate your argument and reduces the risk of overstating what the evidence shows.

State what you think should happen

If you are calling for action, be specific.

You might ask:

• An elected body to support or reject a proposal
• An agency to review a policy
• Community members to attend a hearing
• An organization to correct a practice
• Readers to learn more about an issue

Avoid vague endings such as “Something must be done” when you can identify a concrete next step.

Offer an alternative when useful

If you oppose a proposal, explain what you believe should happen instead.

A constructive alternative can make the letter more useful by moving the discussion beyond criticism alone.

Keep it focused

Most letters should make one main argument.

If you have several unrelated points, consider whether they should become separate letters, a longer guest essay, or another form of communication.

The publication's own word limit should determine the maximum length.

Disclose relevant affiliations

If you hold a position, receive funding, or represent an organization directly connected to the issue, disclose that relationship when relevant or required by the publication.

For example:

I am the director of a local housing organization that receives city funding for eviction-prevention services.

Disclosure helps readers understand your relationship to the issue.

A title or professional role does not automatically make an argument more credible. Evidence and transparency matter more than status alone.

Protect sensitive personal information

Do not include:

• Private medical details
• Home addresses
• Immigration information
• Children's identifying information
• Confidential employment information
• Other personal information

unless it is necessary, relevant, and the person involved has meaningfully agreed to its publication.

Use a respectful tone

Strong disagreement is appropriate.

Personal attacks, insults, unsupported accusations, and demeaning descriptions generally weaken the public discussion and may violate publication rules.

Critique:

• Decisions
• Evidence
• Policies
• Public statements
• Institutional practices

rather than attacking a person's character.

Be careful with allegations

Publishing serious allegations about a person or organization can create legal and ethical risks.

Before submitting such a letter:

• Verify important facts
• Distinguish allegations from official findings
• Avoid exaggeration
• Preserve the sources supporting your claims
• Seek qualified legal advice when significant risk exists

Defamation law varies by jurisdiction and circumstance.

General advocacy guidance should not be treated as legal advice about whether a particular statement is protected.

How can you improve the chances that your letter will be published?

Follow the publication's requirements

Editors are more likely to consider a letter that meets the publication's stated rules.

Check:

• Word limit
• Submission method
• Identification requirements
• Topic or timing requirements
• Whether attachments or links are allowed

Make the first paragraph useful

Editors and readers should be able to identify the main point quickly.

If the letter responds to an article, name the article or issue early.

Be timely

Letters connected to recent coverage or current community decisions are often more relevant than letters addressing issues with no current connection.

Submit promptly when timing matters.

Use local relevance when it genuinely exists

Local data, experience, or examples may help explain why a broader issue matters to the publication's readers.

Do not force a local connection when one is not actually supported.

Be transparent about who you are

Publications commonly require identifying information for verification.

Some may publish your city, title, or organizational affiliation.

Check what information will appear publicly before submitting if privacy is a concern.

Expect editing

A publication may shorten or edit a letter for:

• Length
• Clarity
• Style
• Accuracy
• Legal or editorial reasons

Review the publication's policy on editing if this matters to you.

Revise rather than simply repeat

If a letter is not published, you may:

• Shorten it
• Make the connection to a current event clearer
• Strengthen the evidence
• Clarify the requested action
• Submit a new letter when a genuinely new development occurs

Avoid repeatedly resubmitting substantially the same message when the publication has declined it.

Coordinated letter campaigns

Several people may independently write about the same issue.

This can show that a concern is shared across a community.

However, campaign organizers should avoid flooding a publication with identical or centrally scripted letters simply to create the appearance of spontaneous public opinion.

If helping others write:

• Explain the issue accurately
• Provide current information
• Share the publication's guidelines
• Offer writing or language assistance when requested
• Encourage people to express their own views
• Avoid inventing or editing personal experiences to make them more persuasive

Multiple signers may sometimes be appropriate, especially when a letter represents a coalition or shared organizational position.

Make sure every named signer has reviewed and agreed to the final text.

Consider whether another format is better

A letter to the editor is only one way to participate in public discussion.

Consider a longer guest essay or opinion article when:

• The issue requires substantial background
• You need to explain research or policy details
• Several arguments must be developed
• The publication invites longer submissions

Consider a news tip or press release when the main purpose is to provide journalists with information about an event, report, announcement, or development.

Consider direct communication with an agency or elected official when the primary purpose is to request a specific government action.

Sample letter

To the Editor:

Your recent coverage of the proposed reduction in evening bus service correctly noted the city's budget concerns, but the discussion should also consider workers whose shifts end after the current route schedule.

I live in the east side of the city and regularly use the Route 6 bus. When my shift ends at 10 p.m., missing the final bus means paying for another form of transportation that costs much more.

Before reducing service, the city should review evening ridership, employer shift schedules, and alternatives such as a limited late-night pilot. Budget savings matter, but so does whether residents can reliably reach work.

The transportation board should postpone the reduction until those options have been evaluated publicly.

[Name]
[City]

In Summary

A letter to the editor is a short public response that can add evidence, lived experience, analysis, or a recommendation to an ongoing community discussion.

Letters may appear in print or digital formats, and every publication has its own submission rules.

Check those rules before writing.

Make the main point early.

Connect the letter to a current issue when relevant.

Explain the issue in clear language and support important claims with reliable evidence.

Distinguish fact, interpretation, prediction, personal experience, and policy preference.

Be specific about what you believe should happen.

Keep the letter focused and within the publication's word limit.

Disclose relevant organizational or financial connections when appropriate.

Protect sensitive personal information and avoid unsupported accusations.

Strong disagreement is appropriate; personal attacks are not necessary.

Personal experience and statistics provide different forms of useful information and may be strongest when used together.

If several people write about the same issue, encourage them to use their own words rather than sending identical messages designed to simulate broad spontaneous support.

Finally, remember that the purpose of a letter to the editor is not simply to attract attention or “win” a public argument.

It is to contribute something clear, relevant, and well-supported to the public conversation.

Example 1: Writing a letter in favor of a proposed action

To the Editor of The Herald:

The U.S. House of Representatives has recently proposed a law (H.R. no. 396) that will ban the sale of cigarettes from vending machines. This is a landmark piece of legislation that everyone in our community should support right now.

Many people don't realize it, but vending machines are one of the main places that children are able to purchase cigarettes. In fact, it is estimated that 10% of all cigarettes purchased by minors take place at these machines. If this new legislation goes into effect, it will not only make it more difficult for youth to break the law by buying cigarettes, it will lower the chances of young people smoking in the first place

There are many reasons (besides the legal ones) why we should try to curb smoking by our children. 1) Research shows that most people who smoke started when they were underage. 2) Many people fear that smoking cigarettes serves as a "gateway" to harder drugs. 3) Smoking is a very expensive addiction (particularly for a teen who makes minimum wage) And, finally, 4) smoking can cause many life-shortening or fatal health problems (such as lung cancer and emphysema). Our young people would not smoke before they are really able to understand or accept the long-term consequences.

The vending-machine bill has been proposed, but now it needs to be passed. Your voice will count here. We encourage you to write or call the representative for your district (for those of us in District 8, that's Congresswoman Fisher) and let her know that you support her as she tries to get this legislation passed. The more support she gets, the more likely it is that this bill will become law. Contact Tobacco Free Youth for further information about this important issue.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Friedman, Director
Tobacco Free Youth
123 Forest Road

Example 2: Writing a letter opposing a proposed action

To the editor of the Lawrence Journal World:

Bulldozers began moving dirt last week at Lawrence High School and the Centennial Virtual School, but city commissioners and school district officials have been bulldozing this community for months with an athletic facilities expansion plan that is fiscally irresponsible, unnecessarily redundant and probably illegal. Our elected officials have misled the public, violated zoning codes and set taxpayers up for a $10.3 million loan that will take 10 years to pay off and cost taxpayers $2.25 million in interest.

Why was the public repeatedly told that this project could be built with leftover bond money when those funds don’t even represent a third of the proposed budget?

Why is it necessary to build two separate football stadiums at a cost of $4 million?

Why is it inconceivable to parents that both teams could play in a shared stadium at FSHS? The situation would be no different than it is in swimming, where both schools compete at the Indoor Aquatic Center.

Why are city commissioners allowing the school district to build a stadium for 4,000 spectators at LHS without also requiring the district to provide the 1,300 parking spaces required by city zoning ordinances?

Why did the school district repeatedly assert that the proposed facilities would only disrupt neighbors a few nights a year when it clearly intended to lease the fields for nightly city softball, baseball and soccer games?

We need new leaders with a clear vision, a commitment to fiscal responsibility, and the ability to balance community and educational needs.

Jerry Schultz, Bob Tryanski, Jeanne Klein and 10 other signers,

Lawrence

Example 3: Writing a letter opposing a completed action

To the Editor of The Herald:

I am outraged by the County Commission's recent decision to terminate the lease of the Head Start program at the County Court House. With this decision, a much-needed, already under-funded program may simply have no place to go!

Head Start is a fantastic program. It makes sure that poor and other at-risk pre-school children will have the nutritious food and special attention they just may not get elsewhere. It gives these children a true "head start" in a world where they may not get many other chances. And there is plenty of evidence to show that Head Start makes a big difference to kids later in life.

The Commission's recent decision to oust the program to make more room for a ''state Gifts Shop" is ridiculous! If the leaders of our community would like to run a store to sell Kansas-made goods, I'm all for it. However, neither my Kansas pride nor my greed run so deep as to wish to take away the breakfast of 30 hungry three-year-olds. And I am deeply saddened to see that the County Commissioners value profits over people.

This decision is shameful to all who live in Dade County. The County Commissioners should reconsider the situation and revoke their decision immediately. I hope all readers will let the commissioners know how they feel about this terrible situation by calling them at 913-432-1200 or writing to them at the County Court House.

Sincerely,

Victoria Stein
3960 Mount Hope Drive
567-8095

Example 4: Writing a letter opposing a completed action

To the Editor of the Lawrence Journal World:

Are we to praise our City Officials and their crews for hauling away all of the remnants of a homeless site on our river east of the Northern Santa Fe Depot? Is this supposed to be retaliation for notifying our City authories of yet two more deaths on City premises--these of an 18-year-old and a 29-year-old--in their "sophisticated" (J-W, Nov. 1) homeless campsite down by our river?

Do we really think clearing out this makeshift campsite (four City dump trucks full) will solves our City's (and nation's) homeless crisis? --Or lessen the number of vulnerable people dying way before their time for lack of treatment and shelter in our community? Are these people being punished for suddenly coming into eyesight of our authorities by having reported these unfortunate --(and preventable) deaths?

How many homeless deaths will it take for this caring community to come up with constructive answers?

Perhaps the best we can do before winter sets in is to designate SOME area where the building of makeshift wood and cardboard shelters will NOT be razed--and some of us even might be willing to help in its rebuilding...

Perhaps these deaths and the devastation of their only "shelter" will spur us on to building that warm and decent shelter--able to serve more than the 31 hapless people now sleeping on thin mats, wall-to-wall, at our present homeless shelter --with winter coming...

Hilda Enoch

Example 5: Writing a letter in favor of a proposed action

Opinion Piece to the Jackson Free Press

The Center for Disease Control currently ranks Mississippi second in highest infant mortality rates in the nation—in 2016, the state lost 325 babies before their first birthday. Data from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that more than 900 infant lives per year may be saved in the United States if 90 percent of mothers exclusively breastfed for six months. This shows that if we want to improve the health outcome of babies and increase the number of those that reach their first birthday and beyond, we must center our efforts on removing systemic barriers to breastfeeding.

Moving the marker on breastfeeding and infant health takes the coordinated efforts of communities, hospitals, the government and industries to ensure that mothers’ rights to breastfeed are protected through policy, support, space and time. That is one reason why the Mississippi Urban League has partnered with the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Mississippi State Department of Health to take on the important work of developing and sustaining a culture of breastfeeding here in Mississippi. Our partnership, which the national BUILD Health Challenge funds, wants to change systems so that they will support, and never inhibit, our community’s efforts to be healthy.

We see the value of a supportive environment for breastfeeding as we work with parents who come to our SIPPS Baby Café, a place where moms and dads not only receive important health and wellness information, but also support from each other. Moms who come to the café say the network of support they receive helps them make the decision to start breastfeeding and motivates them to continue. Knowing that those women, many of whom are the only ones in their family to breastfeed, have someone to call or if they have questions or need encouraging words makes this work fulfilling. This is how we build sustainable support within the community.

In an effort to normalize breastfeeding, we bring breastfeeding out of the café and into the community. SIPPS M.O.B.s (Mothers Out Breastfeeding) provides opportunities for moms to breastfeed in public in a supportive group setting. These outings are designed to educate and sustain a culture of breastfeeding.

Our partnership also works with businesses to develop policies that allow mothers to use their break time to pump and store milk or breastfeed; and have lactation rooms and lactation education programs on site. We know that due to the absence of universal paid maternity leave, many mothers must return to work shortly after giving birth.

The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund launched the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a global program to encourage implementation of the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes,” in 1991. The BFHI assists hospitals in giving mothers the information, confidence and skills necessary to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies or safely feed with formula, and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is among the few Mississippi hospitals to be designated a “Baby-Friendly Hospital” and refers mothers to the SIPPS Baby Café to support and educate pregnant mothers, and support breastfeeding in a community setting. We understand that some mothers are unable to or choose not to breastfeed, and no one should infringe upon their rights to access breast-milk substitutes. Our collaborative effort is aimed at providing education, creating policies and developing supports to ensure that systemic barriers do not influence a mom’s decision not to breastfeed.

We know what is best for the long-term health of Mississippi children. All babies need a head start to have a healthy future. We know breastfeeding the future generation of babies is a part of making that future a brighter one. We must not let our nation’s stance on the World Health Organization’s breastfeeding resolution discourage us. We will continue from the ground up with the momentum we have created to ensure a healthy future for Mississippi children.

Beneta Burt

Example 6: Writing a letter opposing a proposed action

Opinion Piece to The Lawrence Times

“Our people are more important than buildings. It’s our people that make this school district what it is.” — Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Lewis

I call bull.

When Dr. Lewis said those words to a room full of press, teachers, parents, members of the Lawrence community, and even a handful of kids, you can imagine a collective eyeroll from the audience. These words were pulled nearly word-for-word from the equity impact analysis from the district’s Futures Planning Committee. Those words were, “Equity resides in the people in the buildings and the community around it — not the building itself.”

The district’s argument for the closure of four of the community’s poorest schools continued to come down to the size and shape of these buildings. And in the days after the board meeting, as other parents like me read the reports on these schools, we discovered complete candidness in the district’s shortcomings. The district was clear they hadn’t heard from the families who rely on the resources in these schools, and the only data they had to make this recommendation was based largely upon arbitrary mathematical data, which the district paid six figures for a consultant to grade.

In fact, a report from the committee’s equity impact analysis read, “We are making assumptions on student representation. Some decisions just need to be made — even without direct representation,” as well as, “Are the east-side voices representing the east side? Are they the rich, privileged voices?”

And so, once again, the community’s poorest schools are again on the chopping block. Same song, different verse.

It’s clear to the families in these schools that the district was not proactive in speaking to the people it claims to serve. Their only solution involved forcing working parents — parents working shift jobs, single parents with no access to child care outside of Boys and Girls Club — to figure out how to attend board meetings and planning sessions. When you’re scrambling to put food on your table or pay a power bill, there’s not much capacity left for attending a school board meeting that you were supposed to read about in the newspaper you can’t afford to buy.

It is once again painfully obvious our administration hasn’t taken any efforts to understand the culture of these schools. And now they’re pinning these decisions on lack of engagement from the community that doesn’t have the capacity to engage.

Read more.

Melody Alexander

Example 7: To Protect Budget Cuts, Young Scientists Try Letters to the Editor

New York Times Article 

Letters to the editor can be an effective way to shape public opinion. 

In 2025, as the Trump administration was drastically reducing science funding, graduate students and scientists just starting careers organized the McClintock Letters project, encouraging scientists to write letters to the editor of their hometown papers. They are focusing on their smaller, hometown newspapers so that the letters feel more personal. “’Publishing in local newspapers gives us a chance to speak directly to the people who raised us, the people we grew up with, the people who, in many cases, we are working for,’ said Miles Arnett, a graduate student studying bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania.” 

Named after Barbara McClintock, the McClintock Letters are bringing awareness to the impact Trump’s funding cuts are having on research. In 1983, Barbara McClintock made history when she became the first female to win an unshared Nobel Prize in Physiology. Her namesake letters hope to share needed research from across the country. So far, more than 550 McClintock Letters have been sent to newspapers across the country. 

Among them is Erin Morrow’s letter to The Marietta Daily. Erin studies the relationship between memory and stress at UCLA. Recently, she wrote to her local paper about how slow scientific innovation, which might seem pointless, actually saved her life. Erin Morrow’s pacemaker is the result of decades of research into the role of electricity in managing heart palpitations. 

For many researchers, advocating for their research can be difficult. However, they are speaking out about the importance of their work. Projects like the McClintock Letter to the Editor Project are bringing awareness to the importance of scientific research in the face of recent threats. 

To read the full New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/science/science-budget-cuts-protest-…;

To read Erin Morrow’s Letter to Marietta Daily Journal: https://www.mdjonline.com/opinion/wellstar-cobb-hospital-is-where-scien…

___You know what a letter to the editor is.

___You know why you should write a letter to the editor.

___You know when to write a letter to the editor.

___You understand the pros and cons of using e-mail to send your letter.

___You know how to open the letter.

___You grab the reader's attention.

___You explain what the letter is about at the start.

___You explain why the issue is important.

___You give evidence for any praise or criticism.

___You state your opinion about what should be done.

___You keep it brief.

___You check your letter to make sure it's clear and to the point.

___You know how to get your letter accepted.

Tool #1: Letter-writing party

The responsibility of writing a letter to the editor can be shared. One way to do this is to hold a letter-writing party, at which you and your friends or colleagues write a planned series of letters that will be sent to the editor. At the party

• Pick your topic.
• Have each friend write a letter addressing the topic--these are Group #1 letters.
• Have each friend write a draft letter in response to letters from Group #1--these are Group #2 letters. These will be left incomplete so that specific references to Group #1 letters can be filled in.
• Make a few of your letters provocative so that others will respond.
• Get permission from others to sign their names so that one person can handle the campaign.
• Use different types of stationery.
• Send copies to the "signer" as the paper may call him or her.
• Let the "signer" know if the letter is published.
• It may require only 5 or 6 people to develop a huge community response.
• Mail Group #1 letters. Some may be published. Mail Group #2 letters, with specific information related to those published added, in response to them soon after the Group #1 letters are published. This exercise is great for group morale. It can be fun, too.

• What is criticizing an unfavorable action?

• Why criticize an unfavorable action?

• Who should raise the criticism?

• When should you respond?

• How do you criticize an unfavorable action effectively?

What is criticizing an unfavorable action?

In community work, organizations and public institutions sometimes make decisions or take actions that advocates believe are harmful, ineffective, unfair, inconsistent with evidence, or contrary to the public interest.

Criticizing an unfavorable action means clearly identifying the concern, explaining its effects, supporting the criticism with evidence, and requesting an appropriate change.

The response may be private or public depending on:

• The seriousness of the issue
• Whether harm is ongoing or urgent
• Whether legal or regulatory obligations are involved
• Whether previous attempts to resolve the issue have worked
• Whether public awareness is necessary for accountability

The goal should be to correct the problem, prevent harm, improve policy or practice, and strengthen accountability – not simply to embarrass or punish the person or organization involved.

Possible ways to respond

Depending on the circumstances, you might:

• Raise the concern directly with the person or organization responsible
• Request a meeting or written response
• Submit information to a regulator, inspector general, licensing body, court, or other appropriate oversight authority
• Use a formal complaint or grievance process
• Communicate findings publicly through reports, community meetings, news organizations, websites, social media, or other channels
• Organize lawful nonviolent advocacy or demonstrations
• Advocate for legislative, regulatory, administrative, or budget changes
• Combine several approaches when necessary

Choose the response according to the issue rather than following a rigid escalation sequence.

What kinds of actions may deserve criticism?

A well-intended action may be poorly designed

A person or institution may genuinely be trying to solve a problem while relying on incomplete information, ineffective methods, or unrealistic assumptions.

In these situations, criticism should identify:

• What assumption appears incorrect
• What evidence suggests a different approach
• What unintended consequences may occur
• What alternative could work better

An action may create a conflict of interest or improperly favor particular interests

Concerns may arise when a decision appears to provide improper benefits to an individual, organization, donor, contractor, or other interested party.

Avoid assuming improper motive without evidence.

Instead, document:

• Relevant financial or organizational relationships
• Procurement or decision-making procedures
• Applicable ethics or conflict-of-interest rules
• How the decision affects the public or other groups

An action may be based on inaccurate or incomplete information

Policies can be shaped by incorrect assumptions, outdated statistics, incomplete research, or misunderstanding of who is affected.

Correcting the record may be an important part of advocacy.

An action may delay rather than address a problem

Reviews, committees, commissions, studies, and planning processes can be valuable.

They can also become ineffective when:

• The purpose is unclear
• No timeline exists
• Findings are repeatedly ignored
• Urgent harm continues while action is postponed

Do not assume that every study or commission is an attempt to avoid action. Evaluate whether the process has clear authority, timelines, resources, and follow-through.

An action may discriminate or exclude

Policies or practices may create concerns involving race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or another protected or relevant characteristic.

Criticism should focus on the policy, practice, impact, and applicable standards rather than using stereotypes or attacking an entire group.

An action may violate law, policy, ethics, or professional standards

When there is credible evidence of possible misconduct, the response may need to include:

• Documentation
• A formal complaint
• Regulatory review
• Ethics review
• Legal advice
• Independent investigation

Distinguish allegations from established findings.

Why criticize an unfavorable action?

To make the action and its effects visible

People cannot evaluate a policy or decision if they do not know what happened or how it affects the community.

Useful criticism can explain:

• What action was taken
• Who made the decision
• Who may be affected
• What evidence is available
• What effects have occurred or are reasonably expected

To question the assumptions behind the action

Ask:

• What problem was the action intended to address?
• What evidence supported the decision?
• What alternatives were considered?
• Were conflicts of interest disclosed?
• Were people affected by the decision involved?
• Were important risks or tradeoffs overlooked?

To correct inaccurate or incomplete information

Criticism may need to correct:

• Outdated statistics
• Incorrect descriptions of a program
• Misleading public claims
• Missing context
• Unsupported assumptions

To explain why the action is problematic

Possible concerns include:

• The action is based on inaccurate assumptions
• Evidence suggests it is unlikely to work
• Costs may outweigh expected benefits
• It creates significant unintended consequences
• It places disproportionate burdens on particular groups
• It creates an improper conflict of interest
• It causes avoidable harm
• It may violate law, regulation, policy, contract, or professional standards

To advocate for a better alternative

When practical, explain what should happen instead.

An alternative may involve:

• Revising the current action
• Reversing it
• Delaying implementation while additional evidence is gathered
• Adopting another policy
• Adding protections or oversight
• Increasing funding or capacity
• Improving enforcement

Not every urgent criticism must arrive with a complete replacement policy.

It may be appropriate to call for immediate suspension of a harmful action while longer-term alternatives are developed.

Who should raise the criticism?

There is no single ideal spokesperson.

Relevant voices may include:

• People directly affected
• Community organizations
• Researchers
• Professionals with relevant expertise
• Public officials
• Advocacy organizations
• Whistleblowers or employees with direct knowledge
• Other community members with relevant experience

Credibility should depend primarily on:

• Accuracy
• Relevant knowledge
• Transparency
• Evidence
• Willingness to correct errors
• Clear disclosure of relevant interests or affiliations

Do not choose a spokesperson mainly because the person's celebrity, prestige, identity, or perceived similarity to the audience may make the criticism more persuasive.

People directly affected should not be treated merely as persuasive messengers

People experiencing the effects of a policy or decision may provide essential knowledge about how it works in practice.

They should have meaningful opportunities to help:

• Define the concern
• Decide what response is appropriate
• Develop alternatives
• Speak publicly if they choose

Participation should be voluntary, and people should understand any privacy or retaliation risks before sharing personal experiences publicly.

When should you criticize an unfavorable action?

Before implementation when credible risks are identifiable

Early criticism can sometimes prevent avoidable harm.

If a proposed policy or action is still under consideration, identify concerns while decision-makers can still revise it.

Use evidence rather than monitoring people or institutions simply because you assume they will act improperly.

When new evidence becomes available

A policy may appear reasonable when adopted and later produce unexpected effects.

New research, audits, complaints, data, or community experience may justify renewed review.

When urgent harm is occurring

Immediate action may be necessary when there is a credible risk involving:

• Health
• Safety
• Civil or human rights
• Environmental harm
• Loss of essential services
• Retaliation

In urgent situations, do not delay simply because an informal conversation has not yet occurred.

After an action has been taken

Criticism can still be useful after implementation.

It may support:

• Revision
• Reversal
• Additional oversight
• Compensation or repair
• Policy change
• Prevention of similar problems in the future

Continue as long as the issue warrants continued advocacy

Persistence can be important, but advocacy should be reviewed periodically.

Ask:

• Is the problem still occurring?
• Has the evidence changed?
• Has corrective action occurred?
• Is the current tactic still effective?
• Would another process now be more appropriate?

Do not assume that repeating the same criticism indefinitely is always the best strategy.

How do you criticize an unfavorable action effectively?

Do the research

Before making serious claims, understand:

• The relevant law and policy
• The history of the issue
• Who made the decision
• What evidence informed it
• What research exists
• What people directly affected are experiencing
• What alternatives exist

Be willing to revise your criticism if credible evidence changes your understanding.

Be clear and specific

Explain:

• What action you are criticizing
• What specific concern exists
• What evidence supports that concern
• Who may be affected
• What change you are requesting

Avoid vague accusations such as “they do not care” or “this is corrupt” unless you have evidence supporting those conclusions.

Use accessible language

Communicate in language appropriate to the people who need the information.

This may involve:

• Plain-language summaries
• Translation
• Interpretation
• Accessible digital formats
• Disability accommodations

Support your claims appropriately

Useful evidence may include:

• Public records
• Research
• Audits
• Inspection reports
• Photographs or video collected lawfully
• Administrative data
• First-person accounts
• Qualified expert analysis

Different forms of evidence answer different questions.

A person's experience may demonstrate that a problem occurred.

It may not, by itself, establish how common the problem is.

Repeated accounts may identify a pattern worth investigating, but the number of stories alone does not necessarily establish causation or the full scale of the problem.

Distinguish facts, allegations, interpretations, and values

Be clear about whether a statement is:

• A documented fact
• An allegation
• An interpretation
• A prediction
• A moral or ethical judgment
• A policy preference

Use values transparently

Advocacy often involves values such as:

• Fairness
• Justice
• Safety
• Responsibility
• Freedom
• Dignity
• Community well-being

People may interpret these values differently.

Explain how the value relates to the issue rather than assuming that everyone defines fairness, responsibility, or justice in the same way.

Avoid demographic stereotypes about audiences

Do not assume that an audience's race, religion, income, educational background, geography, political identity, or other demographic characteristic tells you what they will consider logical or persuasive.

Instead:

• Learn what questions the audience is asking
• Understand relevant community experience
• Use clear evidence and reasoning
• Invite questions and disagreement

Present feasible alternatives when possible

A strong criticism often explains what could be done differently.

Compare alternatives according to:

• Evidence of effectiveness
• Cost
• Equity
• Feasibility
• Legal requirements
• Community priorities
• Possible unintended consequences

Avoid claiming that an alternative is clearly superior unless the available evidence supports that conclusion.

Invite correction or collaboration when appropriate

In some situations, the person or organization responsible may be willing to change course.

You might ask:

• Whether important information was missing
• Whether the decision can be revised
• Whether affected community members can participate in redesign
• Whether additional safeguards can be added
• Whether a joint review is appropriate

Collaboration is not required when serious misconduct, retaliation, urgent harm, or another circumstance makes direct engagement unsafe or inappropriate.

Focus criticism on conduct and responsibility

Criticize:

• The action
• The decision
• The policy
• The evidence
• The reasoning
• The effects
• The responsibilities that were not met

Avoid insults, ridicule, demeaning labels, or speculation about someone's character.

Accountability does not require pretending that responsibility does not exist.

If evidence shows that a person or organization knowingly violated obligations, describe the conduct and evidence directly and seek appropriate consequences.

When misconduct appears intentional or serious

Serious misconduct may require stronger action.

Examples include credible evidence of:

• Corruption
• Fraud
• Retaliation
• Discrimination
• Abuse of authority
• Deliberate concealment of a serious safety risk
• Other significant legal or ethical violations

Stronger action may include:

• Formal complaints
• Regulatory referrals
• Independent investigation
• Litigation
• Public reporting
• Lawful nonviolent direct action

Strong accountability does not require ridicule, harassment, name-calling, or targeting someone's home or family.

Focus on documented conduct, institutional responsibility, and the remedy sought.

Communicate publicly when appropriate

Public communication may be necessary when:

• The issue affects the broader community
• Public participation is needed
• Formal accountability processes are inadequate
• People face an ongoing risk
• Public records reveal a matter of legitimate public concern

Communication channels may include:

• Community meetings
• Reports
• News organizations
• Websites
• Email
• Text messaging
• Social media
• Multilingual media
• Flyers or posters where appropriate
• Public testimony

Use channels that actually reach the people who need the information.

Public communication should inform, document, and support accountability rather than function primarily as a threat of embarrassment.

Avoid using exposure as coercive leverage

It may be appropriate to tell an organization that you intend to use a formal complaint, regulatory process, or public communication channel.

However, the purpose should be transparent accountability rather than threatening humiliation in exchange for concessions.

If information belongs in the public record because it documents a matter of legitimate concern, decide responsibly whether and how it should be disclosed.

Protect privacy and safety

Criticism can affect people who were not responsible for the decision.

Before publicly identifying individuals, ask:

• Is naming this person necessary?
• What responsibility did they actually have?
• Could disclosure create retaliation or safety risks?
• Could the accountability goal be achieved with less personal information?

Avoid targeting homes, families, or unrelated personal activities as a pressure tactic.

Evaluate whether the criticism is working

Periodically review:

• Whether the action has changed
• Whether harm has been reduced
• Whether the evidence has changed
• Whether the public understands the issue more clearly
• Whether decision-makers have responded
• Whether the current strategy is creating unintended harm
• Whether another accountability process would now be more effective

Persistence matters, but repeating an ineffective tactic indefinitely is not the same as effective advocacy.

In Summary

Criticizing an unfavorable action is an important part of advocacy when a policy, decision, practice, or institutional action appears harmful, ineffective, unfair, unsupported by evidence, or inconsistent with applicable obligations.

Begin with research.

Understand what happened, who had responsibility, what evidence is available, who is affected, and what legal, ethical, professional, or policy standards apply.

Make the criticism clear and specific.

Distinguish documented facts from allegations, interpretations, predictions, and value judgments.

Use first-person experience, community accounts, research, public records, expert analysis, and other forms of evidence appropriately.

Do not assume that repeated personal stories automatically prove causation or prevalence, but do not dismiss lived experience simply because it is not quantitative.

When possible, propose an evidence-informed alternative or identify the next step needed to develop one.

Criticize conduct, decisions, reasoning, and unmet responsibilities rather than using insults or unsupported attacks on character.

Serious misconduct may require strong accountability, including formal complaints, investigations, regulatory action, litigation, public reporting, or lawful nonviolent advocacy.

Strong accountability does not require ridicule, harassment, threats of humiliation, or pressure directed at people's homes or families.

Use public communication when it serves transparency, safety, participation, or accountability.

Choose communication channels based on who needs the information and how they can best access it.

Continue advocacy while the problem remains important, but periodically reassess whether the strategy is still appropriate and effective.

Finally, remember that the purpose of criticism is not simply to defeat an opponent or embarrass an institution.

It is to identify what is wrong, prevent or repair harm, improve decisions, strengthen accountability, and support a better course of action.

What is criticizing unfavorable action?

You protest - usually publicly-that the action is:

___Well-meaning, but ill-conceived action.

___A public or private entity putting its own interests ahead of the public good.

___Action, spurred by uninformed public opinion, that harms a cause or target population.

___Actions that sweep problems under the rug.

___Actions that are the result of unthinking prejudice or an ethnocentric world view.

Why criticize unfavorable action?

___You criticize unfavorable action primarily to cancel or change it.

In pursuit of that goal, you may try to:

___Spread the word about the situation.

___Question the assumptions behind the action.

___Correct false information.

___Pinpoint what's wrong with the action.

___Offer alternatives.

___Garner support.

Who should criticize unfavorable action?

___You choose spokespersons who are viewed as knowledgeable and trustworthy, with whom the audience can identify, and with whom they may be familiar.

When should you criticize unfavorable action?

___You anticipate unfavorable action when possible, and criticize it before it begins.

___You react to unfavorable action as quickly as possible in all instances.

___You make your voice heard immediately when a previously unknown action comes to light.

___You protest when new evidence of the unfavorable nature of an action surfaces.

___You criticize immediately when necessary to prevent harm.

___You continue to criticize until your succeed.

How do you criticize unfavorable action?

___Do your research ahead of time

___Be clear and specific

___Support your arguments

___Present clear alternatives

___Offer to work with opponents

___Assume the opponents are of good will unless you know otherwise

___Use media to inform

___Keep it up as long as necessary

Example: Crowd marches downtown in Lawrence, Kansas, to support detained scientist Syed Jamal

Earnest chants filled Massachusetts Street on Thursday as dozens of people marched in support of Syed Ahmed Jamal, a Bangladeshi-born Lawrence scientist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a deportation order after 30 years of residency in the U.S.

Shouts of “Free Syed Jamal” and “Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here” rang out as marchers carried signs through downtown Lawrence to raise awareness for a local family that associate pastor Eleanor McCormick of Plymouth Congregational Church said has been “shaken to its core.” Read more.

What is filing a complaint?

A complaint is a formal statement that identifies a concern and asks a person, organization, agency, regulator, or other responsible body to review the issue and take appropriate action.

Complaints may involve:

• Poor or inaccessible service
• Failure to follow a policy, contract, or procedure
• Discrimination
• Safety concerns
• Professional misconduct
• Consumer problems
• Misuse of public or charitable resources
• Possible legal or regulatory violations
• Other actions or conditions requiring review

A complaint is often submitted in writing or through an organization's formal complaint system.

Depending on the setting, this may involve:

• An online form
• Email
• A written letter
• A grievance process
• A regulatory complaint portal
• Another official reporting process

Filing a complaint is different from simply expressing dissatisfaction.

A formal complaint generally asks for review, correction, explanation, compensation, enforcement, or another specific response.

Why file a complaint?

Filing a complaint can help create an organized record of a concern and place it before a person or institution with responsibility to address it.

A complaint may:

• Document what happened
• Preserve a record of when concerns were raised
• Trigger a formal review or investigation
• Request correction of a policy or practice
• Seek compensation, restoration, or another remedy
• Identify a recurring problem
• Alert an oversight body to possible misconduct or noncompliance
• Help an organization identify a service or implementation problem

The main purpose should be to obtain an appropriate review and response, not to increase the visibility of the person or organization filing the complaint.

When should you file a complaint?

A formal complaint may be appropriate when:

• The issue is serious or recurring
• Someone has experienced harm or is at risk of harm
• A policy, procedure, contract, professional standard, or legal requirement may have been violated
• You need a formal record
• An organization requires use of a grievance or complaint process
• Informal efforts have not resolved the issue
• An oversight agency needs a complaint before it can act

You do not always need to try informal resolution first.

A formal complaint may be appropriate immediately when:

• Serious harm is occurring
• Discrimination, harassment, abuse, retaliation, fraud, or another serious violation is alleged
• A filing deadline applies
• Evidence may be lost
• Direct contact could create safety or retaliation risks
• The applicable procedure requires formal filing

Do not delay a complaint merely because you have not yet exhausted every informal option.

Where should you file a complaint?

File the complaint with the person, office, organization, or agency that has responsibility and authority to address it.

Depending on the issue, this may be:

• A customer-service or complaint office
• A supervisor or program manager
• A human-resources or equal-opportunity office
• A school or university grievance office
• A licensing board
• A regulatory agency
• An inspector general
• An ombudsperson
• A civil-rights office
• A funder or contracting agency
• A court or administrative tribunal
• Another appropriate oversight body

Start with the office that has authority

Do not assume that the most senior executive is always the best first recipient.

Large organizations often have designated offices specifically responsible for complaints, grievances, ethics concerns, accessibility, discrimination, consumer disputes, or regulatory compliance.

Using the correct process may:

• Reduce delay
• Preserve appeal rights
• Ensure the complaint reaches trained staff
• Help meet filing requirements
• Create a clear record

If the initial complaint is not resolved, the process may provide a supervisor, appeal, review board, regulator, or other next level.

Determine whether an outside authority is appropriate

Some complaints should also or instead be submitted to an external body.

Examples may include:

• Regulators
• Licensing boards
• Civil-rights agencies
• Consumer-protection agencies
• Inspectors general
• Professional oversight bodies
• Courts

Which authority is appropriate depends on the issue, jurisdiction, and applicable law or policy.

Before filing a complaint

Check the current complaint process

Find out:

• Where the complaint must be submitted
• Whether a particular form is required
• What documentation should be included
• What deadlines apply
• Whether an appeal process exists
• Whether the complaint will remain confidential
• Whether information may be disclosed to the person or organization complained about

Use the organization's official website, written policy, complaint office, or another reliable source for current instructions.

You generally do not need to conceal why you are asking about the complaint process.

If confidentiality or retaliation is a concern, ask specifically what protections and reporting options are available.

Check deadlines

Complaint and appeal deadlines can be important.

Some processes allow only a limited period after an incident or decision.

Do not delay filing while trying to assemble perfect documentation if doing so could cause you to miss an applicable deadline.

Decide what you want the complaint to accomplish

Possible requests may include:

• Correction of an error
• A refund or financial compensation
• Restoration of a service or benefit
• An investigation
• Enforcement of a policy or law
• A change in procedure
• Removal of an accessibility barrier
• A written explanation
• Training or corrective action
• Another appropriate remedy

Your requested remedy should be as specific and realistic as possible.

How should you file a complaint?

State the purpose clearly

Explain at the beginning that you are filing a formal complaint and identify the issue.

For example:

I am submitting a formal complaint regarding the denial of accessibility accommodations for the September 14 public meeting.

Describe what happened

Include relevant:

• Dates
• Locations
• People or departments involved
• Actions taken
• Communications
• Previous attempts to resolve the issue

Present events in a clear sequence.

Distinguish what you personally observed from what you learned from another source.

Explain why the issue matters

Describe:

• Harm or loss that occurred
• Risks that remain
• Services or rights affected
• Relevant policies or agreements
• Laws or regulations that may apply

Avoid stating that a law was violated as an established fact unless you have an appropriate basis for that conclusion.

When uncertain, describe the facts and identify the law, policy, or standard you believe may apply.

State the requested action

Explain what response you are seeking.

For example:

I am asking the agency to review the decision, provide a written explanation, and correct the record if the denial was inconsistent with its accommodation policy.

Ask for acknowledgment or a response

If the complaint process does not already specify a response timeline, ask the recipient to:

• Confirm receipt
• Provide a complaint or case number
• Explain the next steps
• Identify the expected response timeframe

Avoid imposing an arbitrary deadline unless there is a legitimate reason for one.

Support the complaint with relevant evidence

Depending on the issue, supporting information may include:

• Contracts
• Receipts
• Emails
• Letters
• Screenshots
• Photographs
• Policies
• Public records
• Medical or professional documentation when relevant and appropriate
• Witness accounts
• Previous complaint correspondence

Include only what is relevant.

Do not overwhelm the reviewer with large quantities of unrelated material.

Preserve originals

Keep original documents and files when practical.

Send copies or upload duplicates unless the complaint process specifically requires an original.

Keep a complete copy of:

• The complaint
• Supporting documents
• Submission confirmation
• Case or reference number
• Follow-up correspondence

Make the complaint clear and credible

Focus on the strongest relevant concerns.

These may include:

• Possible violation of law or regulation
• Failure to follow established policy
• Failure to meet contractual obligations
• Inconsistent treatment
• Harm or risk of harm
• Accessibility barriers
• Discrimination or unequal treatment
• Errors in decision-making or records

Do not frame the complaint primarily around threats to the recipient's reputation, political support, or personal interests.

Those consequences may sometimes follow from serious unresolved problems, but the complaint itself should focus on the conduct, evidence, standards, and remedy.

Keep the complaint focused

A complaint should be long enough to explain the issue but concise enough for a reviewer to understand the main facts and requested action.

There is no universal one- or two-page limit.

Follow any length requirements provided by the complaint process.

For complex cases, consider:

• A short complaint summary
• A chronological timeline
• Numbered attachments
• An evidence index

Identify yourself appropriately

Provide the information the complaint process requires.

Depending on the situation, this may include:

• Name
• Organization
• Preferred contact information
• Account or case information
• Your relationship to the issue

Do not provide unnecessary sensitive personal information.

If anonymous or confidential reporting is allowed and retaliation or safety is a concern, determine whether that option is appropriate.

Professional status, public recognition, or powerful connections should not determine whether a complaint deserves review.

Complaints involving more than one person

Multiple people may report similar experiences.

This can help identify a possible pattern.

Options may include:

• Individual complaints
• A jointly signed complaint
• A complaint submitted by an authorized organization
• A coordinated referral to an oversight agency

Do not ask people to sign a complaint they have not reviewed or do not agree with.

Do not treat a single complaint as inherently unimportant simply because only one person has reported the problem.

A single incident may involve serious harm or a clear violation.

Use an appropriate tone

A complaint can be firm without being insulting.

Focus on:

• What happened
• Why it is a concern
• What evidence supports the concern
• What action you are requesting

Avoid:

• Personal attacks
• Name-calling
• Speculation about motives
• Unrelated criticism
• Threats of humiliation

Humor may be appropriate in some ordinary customer-service situations, but it is usually unnecessary.

In complaints involving harm, discrimination, abuse, safety, fraud, or other serious concerns, direct and factual language is generally clearer.

What if the complaint is not resolved?

Review the response carefully before deciding what to do next.

Ask:

• Did the recipient misunderstand an important fact?
• Is additional documentation available?
• Was the complaint submitted to the correct office?
• Is there a formal appeal process?
• Is an outside oversight body appropriate?
• Has the requested remedy become unrealistic or unnecessary?
• Does the evidence still support continuing the complaint?

Provide additional information if needed

If the response identifies missing information, provide it when relevant and available.

Do not describe the goal as making the case “airtight.”

A complaint process should evaluate the available evidence fairly, including evidence that may complicate your original interpretation.

Use the formal appeal or escalation process

If the complaint is denied or unresolved, determine whether there is:

• A supervisor review
• An administrative appeal
• A grievance panel
• An ombudsperson
• A regulator
• A licensing body
• A civil-rights office
• A court or other legal remedy

Follow applicable deadlines.

Be truthful about who receives copies

If you copy another person, agency, regulator, attorney, or organization on a complaint, actually send them the copy.

Do not list people or organizations in a “cc” line merely to create the impression that they have been notified.

Misrepresenting who has received the complaint can undermine your credibility and may create unnecessary confusion.

Public communication may be appropriate in some cases

An unresolved complaint may sometimes raise a legitimate matter of public concern.

Public communication may involve:

• A public meeting
• A report
• A news organization
• Public testimony
• A website or social-media statement

Public disclosure should serve transparency, public safety, accountability, or community participation – not merely threaten the recipient with bad publicity.

Before making serious public allegations:

• Verify important facts
• Distinguish allegations from established findings
• Protect confidential or private information
• Consider retaliation and safety risks
• Seek qualified legal advice when appropriate

Persistence and proportionality

Some complaints require persistence.

Continue following up when:

• The problem remains unresolved
• The evidence continues to support the complaint
• Additional levels of review remain available
• The issue continues to affect people's rights, safety, access, or well-being

Persistence should not become repeated unwanted contact with individuals who do not control the complaint process.

Use the formal channels available and reassess periodically whether continued escalation is likely to produce a useful result.

After the complaint is resolved

Keep the final decision and any documentation showing what action was taken.

If appropriate:

• Thank staff or officials who helped resolve the issue
• Confirm any commitments in writing
• Monitor whether promised corrective action occurs
• Share lessons with others when doing so does not violate privacy or confidentiality

In Summary

Filing a complaint is a formal way to ask an organization, agency, regulator, or other responsible body to review a concern and take appropriate action.

Use the complaint process when the issue is serious, a formal record is needed, applicable rules require it, informal resolution has failed, or immediate formal review is warranted.

Do not assume informal resolution must always come first.

Identify the office that actually has responsibility for the issue and follow its current complaint procedures, including deadlines and documentation requirements.

State clearly what happened, why it matters, what evidence supports the complaint, and what response you are requesting.

Distinguish facts from allegations, interpretations, and conclusions.

Keep the complaint focused and preserve copies of everything submitted.

Provide relevant evidence without overwhelming the reviewer with unnecessary material.

A complaint may be firm without relying on personal attacks, threats of embarrassment, political pressure, or powerful connections.

If several people report similar experiences, their complaints may reveal a broader pattern, but a single serious complaint can also warrant action.

If the complaint is denied or unresolved, use the applicable appeal, review, regulatory, or legal process.

Be accurate about who has received copies of the complaint.

Public communication may sometimes be appropriate, but it should advance transparency and accountability rather than function primarily as reputational leverage.

Continue pursuing the complaint while the evidence and available remedies justify doing so, and reassess the strategy as circumstances change.

The goal is not simply to pressure someone into giving you what you want.

It is to create a clear, accurate record, obtain fair review, correct problems when possible, and hold responsible institutions appropriately accountable.

This heading includes longer, more detailed examples of the key concepts discussed in this section. Portions of these are adapted from Patricia Westheimer's How to Write Complaint Letters that Work (1990).

Example #1: General format for writing complaint letters

This example summarizes the rules and format of a standard complaint letter.

Example #2: Sample of a well-written letter of complaint

This is an example of a well-written, successful complaint letter to a business. George Jones, had trouble with an auto body repair shop. The work was sub-standard. The shop manager would not correct the problem. George called the local Chamber of Commerce and got the name of the owner of the shop. He then wrote the following letter:

Example #3: Sample of a poorly-written letter of complaint

This is an example of a poorly written complaint letter, with analysis, followed by an example of a properly written letter.

Karen Young, the newly appointed and somewhat inexperienced head of a community coalition in Cooper County, learned of the county health clinic's plans to reduce the number of services offered, and its plans to increase fees for other basic services. Upset, she decided to write on behalf of the coalition to let the clinic know the coalition's opinion.

This letter lacks the "five ingredients" of a complaint letter, and is therefore, ineffective. It is just asking for an unsatisfactory response, and that's what it got. The Health Department Director (also in charge of the clinic), Shelly Marks, had her secretary write a weak apology for the policy changes, and suggested Ms. Young get in contact with her government representatives.

Karen made several mistakes in her letter:

• She did not personalize the letter. "Dear Sir" could have been addressed to anyone--let alone the fact that the director of the Cooper County Health Department was a woman.
• Shelly, the director, was not at the top level of decision making when it came to deciding the clinic's budget. She had little influence on how much funding it actually received. That decision came from higher up in the government.
• Karen was not specific about what changes she wanted made, if any. It almost appears that all she wanted to do was complain about her personal problems. Life's rough.
• She makes part of the letter a personal attack, implying that the Health Department director cannot do her job, and will soon be fired.

Here's how Karen should have written the letter. First of all, she should have obtained the name, title and address of the key decision maker on this particular issue. Let's suppose it was the local representative to the state legislature. Then she could have written the following: (A copy would also be sent to Shelly Marks.)

This letter makes the same general point, but is directed to the key decision-maker, is more professional, and is slightly less aggressive. Karen is specific about what the problem is, and what she and the coalition want done. The letter is written by someone who seems to be reasonable. She doesn't threaten anyone, although the threat of not being re-elected hangs in the air. Hopefully, Rep. Brenner will be able to make the necessary changes.

Example #4: Dot Nary: Celebrating a nation with disability rights

Twenty years ago, my husband and I traveled to California to attend a wedding. After landing in San Francisco, we rented a car, drove north, and arrived at a chain motel where we had reserved a wheelchair-accessible room. 

We checked in and entered the room only to discover that I, as a wheelchair user, could get inside the door but no further due to the furniture arrangement and the narrow bathroom door. Although we’d reserved an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) room, the one we were assigned did not permit access beyond the entrance. 

I called the manager.

Read the full article on the Lawrence Times website here.

Before you file your complaint

___You know who the person is to address your complaint to.

___You know the form that your complaint should take.

___You are aware of what you want to accomplish.

Writing your complaint

___You have stated your purpose clearly.

___The reason you are making the complaint is obvious.

___You have demonstrated the importance.

___You have requested what you would like to see happen.

___You have asked for a timely reply.

___Your complaint is short and to the point.

___You were polite.

___You refrained from criticism and personal attacks.

___You demonstrated that you have support.

___You have determined the appropriateness of humor.

___You are prepared to raise the stakes if necessary.

___You have a copy of the complaint.

• What do we mean by enforcement?

• Who is responsible for enforcing laws and regulations?

• When should you seek enforcement?

• Why might laws and regulations not be enforced?

• How do you seek enforcement of existing laws and regulations?

• How do you help maintain enforcement over time?

Imagine that a manufacturing facility in a community appears to be releasing waste into a river in violation of environmental requirements.

Residents are concerned because the river is used for recreation, fishing, wildlife habitat, and other community purposes.

The facility is also a major employer, so community members want both effective environmental protection and a response that avoids unnecessary harm to workers and families.

The relevant environmental requirements have not disappeared, but residents believe they may not be adequately enforced.

A community coalition therefore begins by documenting the concern, identifying the regulatory authority, reviewing the applicable requirements, and determining what enforcement or corrective process is available.

This section discusses how community members can seek appropriate enforcement of existing laws and regulations while paying attention to evidence, legal process, safety, fairness, and possible unintended consequences.

What do we mean by enforcement?

Enforcement is the process by which an authorized government agency, court, licensing body, or other responsible institution ensures compliance with applicable laws, regulations, permits, orders, or professional requirements.

Enforcement may include:

• Investigation
• Inspection
• Warning or notice of violation
• Corrective-action requirements
• Administrative penalties
• License or permit action
• Court orders
• Civil penalties
• Criminal enforcement where applicable

Community advocates generally do not enforce the law themselves.

Their role may be to document concerns, report suspected violations, request appropriate review, participate in public processes, monitor agency response, or use legal and civic processes when enforcement appears inadequate.

Enforcement is not always the same as imposing the harshest available penalty

Laws and regulations often allow agencies or courts to consider factors such as:

• Severity of the violation
• Whether harm occurred
• Whether the violation was intentional, negligent, or accidental
• Whether violations are repeated
• Whether the responsible party cooperates with corrective action
• Applicable statutory or regulatory requirements
• Available remedies and penalties

Advocates can ask for effective enforcement without assuming that the maximum penalty is always the appropriate outcome.

At the same time, concerns about economic or organizational consequences should not be used to excuse serious or continuing harm.

Focus on compliance and correction

Depending on the law and the circumstances, effective enforcement may involve:

• Stopping the unlawful activity
• Repairing or mitigating harm
• Preventing recurrence
• Compensating people who were harmed when the law provides for it
• Improving monitoring or reporting
• Imposing penalties appropriate to the violation

Do not describe enforcement simply as achieving a “win-win” result.

Some legal protections exist precisely because health, safety, civil rights, environmental protection, or other public interests should not depend entirely on whether all parties benefit from compliance.

Who is responsible for enforcing laws and regulations?

The answer depends on the law, jurisdiction, and subject matter.

Enforcement authority may exist at:

• Federal level
• State level
• Tribal level
• County level
• Municipal or local level

Some laws involve shared or delegated authority across more than one level of government.

Start with the law or regulation itself

Identify:

• The current text of the law or regulation
• The agency or body responsible for administration
• Relevant implementing regulations
• Applicable permits, licenses, orders, or agreements
• Complaint or reporting procedures
• Filing or appeal deadlines

Use current official government sources whenever possible.

Agency names, responsibilities, and enforcement procedures change over time, so older descriptions should be verified before use.

Federal laws and regulations

Federal enforcement may involve a federal department, agency, commission, inspector general, or another authorized body.

In some areas, federal law is implemented or enforced partly through state agencies or federally approved state programs.

If jurisdiction is unclear:

• Review the relevant federal statute and regulations
• Check the responsible agency's current website
• Use the agency's complaint, reporting, or enforcement contact process
• Ask the agency which office has jurisdiction

State laws and regulations

State governments maintain their own administrative structures and enforcement agencies.

Similar issues may be handled by different agencies in different states.

Use current state statutes, regulations, agency guidance, and official complaint processes to determine responsibility.

Local ordinances and regulations

Local requirements may be enforced by:

• Health departments
• Building or code-enforcement offices
• Planning or zoning departments
• Housing agencies
• Civil-rights or human-relations offices
• Other municipal or county authorities

Check the current city or county code and the responsible office rather than assuming a particular type of board always handles the issue.

Professional licensing and disciplinary bodies

Professional conduct may be regulated by state licensing boards, courts, government agencies, or other bodies established by law.

Professional associations may also maintain voluntary ethical standards or membership requirements, but they are not necessarily the government licensing authority.

For a professional-conduct concern, determine:

• Who issued the license
• Which body has disciplinary authority
• Whether a complaint procedure exists
• Whether another civil-rights, consumer-protection, employer, institutional, or legal process also applies

Consumer and accreditation organizations

Some organizations provide consumer information, accreditation, ratings, or dispute-resolution services without having government enforcement power.

Understand the difference between:

• A government regulator
• A professional licensing body
• An accrediting organization
• A voluntary professional association
• A consumer-information organization

When should you seek enforcement?

Seek enforcement when credible information suggests that an applicable legal or regulatory requirement may be violated and an authorized body should review or address the issue.

Formal enforcement may be especially important when:

• Harm is occurring or likely
• Health or safety is at risk
• Civil or human rights may be violated
• Environmental damage may be occurring
• A violation appears repeated or systematic
• A regulated organization has ignored corrective requests
• New evidence reveals a previously unknown problem
• An enforcement agency appears not to be fulfilling its responsibilities
• A filing or legal deadline requires prompt action

You do not always need to contact the person or organization suspected of violating the law before contacting an enforcement agency.

Immediate formal reporting may be more appropriate when:

• Direct contact could create danger
• Retaliation is possible
• Evidence could be destroyed
• Serious misconduct is alleged
• The law or agency procedure requires direct reporting

Why might laws and regulations not be enforced?

Lack of enforcement can have many causes.

Do not assume corruption or bad faith without evidence.

The violation may not be known

Regulators may not know about conduct that occurs privately, intermittently, in remote locations, or through complicated records or transactions.

The agency may have limited resources

Agencies may have limited:

• Staffing
• Inspectors
• Investigators
• Technical expertise
• Funding
• Laboratory or monitoring capacity

Resource limits may force agencies to prioritize among cases.

The agency may prioritize more serious risks

Enforcement agencies commonly make decisions about where limited resources will have the greatest protective effect.

A lower-priority response does not necessarily mean the agency believes the conduct is lawful.

Jurisdiction may be unclear or divided

Several agencies may have overlapping responsibilities, or each may control only one part of the problem.

The evidence may be insufficient

A concern may be credible but still lack the documentation needed for formal enforcement.

Additional:

• Inspection
• Sampling
• Records
• Witness information
• Expert analysis

may be necessary.

Economic or political considerations may affect enforcement priorities

Agencies and elected officials may face competing concerns involving employment, budgets, public services, or other community effects.

Such considerations do not automatically justify failure to enforce applicable requirements.

Conflicts of interest or improper influence may exist

In some cases, credible evidence may suggest:

• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Improper political interference
• Favoritism
• Bribery or corruption
• Other misconduct

Treat these as serious allegations requiring evidence and appropriate investigative or oversight processes.

Penalties or remedies may be inadequate

If penalties are consistently smaller than the financial benefit of noncompliance, they may provide insufficient deterrence.

This may indicate a need for:

• Stronger enforcement
• Different remedies
• Improved monitoring
• Legislative or regulatory change

How do you seek enforcement of existing laws and regulations?

There is no single escalation sequence that fits every situation.

The appropriate path depends on:

• Severity
• Urgency
• Safety
• Applicable law
• Filing deadlines
• Available evidence
• Agency procedures
• Risk of retaliation
• Whether immediate court relief may be necessary

Understand the law

Before making a formal enforcement claim, determine as accurately as possible:

• What requirement applies
• Who is subject to it
• What conduct constitutes a violation
• What exceptions exist
• What agency has authority
• What remedies or penalties are authorized
• Whether private individuals or organizations have any right to bring a claim directly
• What deadlines apply

Do not rely only on summaries of a law when the exact wording matters.

Obtain qualified legal advice when the issue is complex, high-stakes, or likely to involve litigation.

Understand the relevant technical issues

Enforcement questions may require expertise in:

• Environmental science
• Medicine
• Engineering
• Accounting
• Accessibility
• Statistics
• Public health
• Other specialized areas

Community advocates do not need to become technical experts in every field.

They should know enough to understand the issue and obtain qualified expertise when the question exceeds their training.

Understand the history and context

Ask:

• How long has the suspected violation been occurring?
• Has it been reported before?
• Has the agency investigated previously?
• What happened after earlier enforcement efforts?
• Has the applicable law or permit changed?
• Who is affected?
• What harm has been documented?

Document the suspected violation

Relevant documentation may include:

• Dates and locations
• Public records
• Permits
• Inspection reports
• Photographs or video collected lawfully
• Correspondence
• Witness accounts
• Sampling or laboratory results from qualified sources
• Medical or other professional documentation when relevant

Do not trespass, unlawfully access systems or records, interfere with evidence, or perform technical testing beyond your competence.

Determine the appropriate reporting channel

Agencies may accept reports through:

• Online complaint systems
• Hotlines
• Email
• Written complaints
• Inspector or field offices
• Formal administrative petitions

Use the agency's current procedures.

A personal relationship with an employee is not required for a complaint to deserve review.

Decide whether direct contact with the regulated party is appropriate

Direct communication may sometimes resolve a problem quickly.

It may be appropriate when:

• The concern is not immediately dangerous
• Retaliation is unlikely
• Evidence will not be compromised
• The organization appears willing to correct the problem

Direct contact may be inappropriate when:

• People are in immediate danger
• Abuse, serious harassment, corruption, or criminal conduct may be involved
• Retaliation is a concern
• Contact could lead to destruction or concealment of evidence
• An agency specifically directs complainants not to contact the subject

Report the violation to the enforcement agency

Provide:

• The suspected violation
• Location
• Relevant dates or frequency
• The person or organization involved, if known
• The applicable requirement, if known
• Evidence or documentation
• Harm or risk associated with the conduct

State clearly what you know and what you believe or suspect.

Do not present an allegation as an established finding unless an authorized body has determined that a violation occurred.

Ask what happens next

Ask the agency:

• Whether the report has been received
• Whether a case or complaint number is available
• What review process applies
• Whether additional documentation is needed
• Whether information about the outcome can be provided
• What appeal or escalation process exists

Some information may remain confidential because of investigative, privacy, legal, or regulatory requirements.

File a formal complaint when appropriate

If the agency's process requires a formal complaint, follow the requirements carefully.

Pay particular attention to:

• Deadlines
• Required forms
• Standing or eligibility requirements
• Required documentation
• Appeal rights

Keep copies of all submissions and confirmations.

Use administrative review or oversight processes

If an agency does not act or you disagree with its decision, possible next steps may include:

• Administrative appeal
• Supervisory review
• Inspector-general complaint
• Ombuds review
• Licensing or oversight board review
• Legislative or elected-official oversight
• Another authorized review process

Seek public accountability when appropriate

Public communication can be useful when an issue affects the broader community or when greater transparency is needed.

Options may include:

• Public meetings
• News organizations
• Reports
• Public testimony
• Websites
• Social media
• Community newsletters
• Multilingual community media

Public communication should focus on accurate information, public safety, transparency, participation, and accountability.

Avoid treating embarrassment or reputational damage as the primary goal.

Use civic and political processes appropriately

Elected officials may have legitimate oversight, legislative, budget, or constituent-service roles related to agency enforcement.

Community members may:

• Request oversight
• Provide testimony
• Ask questions about agency resources or priorities
• Advocate for stronger laws or penalties
• Seek budget resources for enforcement

The purpose should be transparent public oversight rather than using personal political connections to bypass the ordinary process.

Consider lawful collective action

Depending on the issue, community members may use lawful nonviolent advocacy such as:

• Demonstrations
• Petitions
• Public-comment campaigns
• Consumer boycotts
• Other forms of organized civic action

These approaches should be chosen according to the goal, community priorities, legal requirements, possible risks, and likely effects.

They should not be treated simply as weapons for harming an organization financially or reputationally.

Consider legal action when appropriate

Litigation is not always the first or last step.

In some situations, legal advice or court action may be needed early, especially when:

• An injunction or emergency order may be necessary
• A filing deadline is approaching
• Serious or irreversible harm may occur
• Administrative remedies must be preserved
• A statute creates a private right of action
• A government agency's failure to act may itself be legally reviewable

Litigation can involve substantial cost, time, uncertainty, procedural requirements, and risk.

Obtain qualified legal advice about:

• Standing
• Applicable claims
• Filing deadlines
• Available remedies
• Administrative exhaustion requirements
• Evidence
• Possible costs and risks

Do not rely on general advocacy guidance to determine whether a lawsuit is legally available or strategically appropriate.

How do you help maintain enforcement of existing laws and regulations?

Successful enforcement should include mechanisms that reduce the likelihood of the problem recurring.

Continued monitoring

Depending on the issue, ongoing compliance may be monitored through:

• Regulatory inspections
• Independent monitoring
• Public reporting
• Permit conditions
• Audits
• Community advisory mechanisms
• Court or administrative oversight

Community participation in oversight should have a clear legal or negotiated basis.

Transparency

When legally permitted, relevant monitoring or inspection information should be accessible in ways that allow the public to understand whether compliance is occurring.

Modern access may include:

• Agency websites
• Public databases
• Published reports
• Public meetings
• Records-request processes

Measurable corrective requirements

Enforcement agreements or orders may include:

• Specific corrective actions
• Timelines
• Reporting requirements
• Monitoring requirements
• Compliance benchmarks
• Consequences for continued violations

Benchmarks should be grounded in applicable law, evidence, and the purpose of the corrective action rather than arbitrary demographic targets or unsupported assumptions.

Appropriate consequences

Penalties should be sufficient to support compliance and should follow the applicable legal framework.

Their purpose may include:

• Deterrence
• Correcting harm
• Removing economic incentives for noncompliance
• Protecting the public

Review whether monitoring is still necessary

Some enforcement issues require long-term oversight, but monitoring does not always need to continue forever in the same form.

Periodically ask:

• Is compliance being maintained?
• Has the risk changed?
• Is the regulator now providing adequate oversight?
• Are existing monitoring requirements still necessary?
• Should community resources be redirected to another need?

In Summary

Existing laws and regulations are useful only when the people and institutions subject to them comply and authorized bodies carry out their enforcement responsibilities.

When credible information suggests that a law, regulation, permit, order, or professional requirement may be violated, community members may need to document the concern and request appropriate review.

Begin by identifying the current law or requirement and the body with enforcement authority.

Agency names, jurisdiction, procedures, and legal standards can change, so verify them through current official sources.

Understand the relevant legal and technical issues well enough to describe the concern accurately and seek qualified expertise when necessary.

Document suspected violations carefully and distinguish allegations from established findings.

There is no universal escalation ladder.

Direct communication with the regulated party may sometimes resolve a problem, but immediate formal reporting may be more appropriate when serious harm, retaliation, evidence destruction, criminal conduct, or filing deadlines are involved.

Report concerns through the appropriate agency process, ask what happens next, and preserve records of your submissions.

If necessary, use available appeals, oversight processes, public accountability mechanisms, legislative oversight, lawful collective action, or legal remedies.

Litigation is not automatically the final step; in some cases legal advice or emergency judicial relief may be needed early.

Public communication can support transparency and accountability, but embarrassment or reputational harm should not be its primary purpose.

Effective enforcement may involve stopping the violation, repairing harm, preventing recurrence, improving monitoring, and applying appropriate penalties.

After enforcement occurs, monitor whether compliance continues and whether the enforcement system itself is working.

The goal is not endless conflict with regulated organizations or agencies.

It is reliable compliance with laws and regulations that protect people, rights, communities, and the public interest.

What do we mean by enforcement?

___You understand the difference between strict enforcement and other possibilities, and have determined whether you seek strict enforcement or:

• Enforcement of the spirit of the law
• Enforcement that deals with the underlying problem
• Enforcement that works to the benefit of the largest number of people.

Who is responsible for enforcing laws and regulations?

___You know how to find the agency or organization responsible for enforcement at the federal, state,local, and professional levels.

When might be the best times to seek enforcement of existing laws and regulations ?

___You seek enforcement, if appropriate, whenever individuals or the community are being harmed by the breaking of laws or regulations.

___You seek enforcement when violators refuse to respond to pleas to stop their violations.

___You seek enforcement when new information or situations highlight violations.

___You seek enforcement when the public is fed up with lack of enforcement.

Why might laws and regulations not be enforced?

You understand possible reasons for lack of enforcement:

___Violations are undiscovered.

___Enforcers lack the resources to track down or control violators.

___Enforcers choose to use limited resources only in the most serious cases.

___Enforcement might be economically or politically risky to the enforcers or the community.

___Violators and enforcers might be in collusion.

___Enforcers don't care.

___Violators don't care - penalties are less of a problem than stopping the violation.

How do you seek enforcement of existing laws and regulations?

___You educate yourself to the laws or regulations.

___You study the necessary background information well enough to discuss and explain the situation intelligently.

___You learn the context and history of the issue.

___You learn about the structure and operation of both the violator and the regulatory agency or association.

___You identify and establish relationships with the people at both the violating and regulatory organizations with whom you can work most effectively to gain enforcement.

___You decide, in the course of taking the following steps, if and when to alert the media and make the issue as public as possible.

___You take each of the following steps if the one before it fails to achieve results:

• Convince the violator to voluntarily cease the violation.
• Report the violation to the regulatory agency.
• File a formal complaint.
• Take your complaint to the next level.
• Apply political pressure.
• Take direct action.
• Initiate legal action.

How do you maintain enforcement of existing laws and regulations?

___You negotiate inspection or oversight rights for your group or some other mutually agreed upon neutral body.

___You negotiate the availability of the results of inspection or oversight to the public.

___You negotiate timelines for accomplishment of specific benchmarks.

___You negotiate appropriate penalties, spelled out and made public, for violations.

___You remain vigilant and active in overseeing enforcement forever.

This video illustrates how personal testimony can connect lived experience with a public policy issue.

What is personal testimony?

Personal testimony is a first-person account of how a law, policy, program, budget decision, regulation, or other public action affects a person's life or community.

Testimony may be given during:

• Legislative hearings
• City council or county commission meetings
• School board meetings
• Agency hearings
• Public-comment sessions
• Advisory-board meetings
• Community forums
• Other formal or informal decision-making processes

Testimony may be delivered in person, virtually, by telephone, in writing, by recorded video, or through another format accepted by the decision-making body.

Personal testimony can help decision-makers understand how a policy works in everyday life.

It can also identify effects, barriers, or unintended consequences that may not be visible in administrative data or research alone.

Why can personal testimony matter?

Policies affect people differently depending on their circumstances.

Personal testimony can add information that helps decision-makers understand:

• How a policy is experienced in practice
• What barriers or benefits it creates
• Which groups may be affected differently
• Whether implementation matches the policy's stated purpose
• What changes people directly affected believe would help

Personal testimony is one form of evidence.

It can demonstrate that a particular experience occurred and explain its human significance.

By itself, one person's experience does not necessarily show how common the experience is or establish that a policy caused a broader population-level outcome.

When appropriate, combine lived experience with research, public records, local data, or other evidence.

How do you prepare personal testimony?

Start with your experience

Begin by identifying what the policy or proposed change means to you.

Ask:

• What happened?
• How did the policy affect me?
• What changed in my daily life?
• What problem did I encounter?
• What benefit did I experience?
• What do I want decision-makers to understand?

Writing freely for several minutes can help you identify the parts of your experience that are most relevant.

At this stage, focus on getting your ideas down rather than producing polished language.

Decide what action you are asking for

Before writing the final testimony, identify the specific decision under consideration.

You might be asking decision-makers to:

• Support or oppose a proposed policy
• Amend part of a proposal
• Preserve an existing program
• Increase or restore funding
• Correct an implementation problem
• Review an unintended consequence
• Gather additional information before acting
• Adopt another approach

A clear request makes it easier for decision-makers to understand what you want them to consider.

Understand the policy or proposal

Review the current policy and the proposed change.

Identify:

• What would change
• Who would be affected
• When the change would take effect
• Which agency or institution would implement it
• What decision the hearing body actually has authority to make

Use current official information when possible.

Avoid basing testimony on summaries or social-media claims when the original proposal, bill, regulation, budget, or policy document is available.

Connect your experience to the policy

Explain the connection directly.

For example:

Because the last evening bus leaves before my shift ends, I currently spend substantially more on transportation several nights each week. Extending Route 6 until 11 p.m. would allow me and other evening-shift workers to use the public transportation system we already rely on.

Specific examples usually communicate more clearly than broad statements such as “this policy is terrible” or “this policy will help everyone.”

Add evidence when it strengthens the testimony

Relevant information may include:

• Local data
• Government reports
• Peer-reviewed research
• Program records
• Surveys
• Public records
• Other documented community experiences

Use evidence to clarify the issue rather than overwhelm the testimony with numbers.

If you include a statistic, make sure it is current, relevant, and accurately represented.

Distinguish experience from broader claims

It is appropriate to say:

This is what happened to me.

Be more cautious with claims such as:

This policy affects everyone the same way.

If you want to describe a broader pattern, support that claim with additional evidence when possible.

Use other people's stories responsibly

Do not share another person's identifiable experience without permission.

If someone has agreed to let you describe their experience, make sure they understand:

• Where the testimony will be given
• Whether the meeting will be recorded or livestreamed
• Whether testimony will become part of the public record
• What personal information may become publicly searchable

When possible, people directly affected should have the opportunity to tell their own stories if they want to do so.

Protect your own privacy

Public testimony may become permanently available through:

• Meeting recordings
• Government websites
• Meeting minutes
• Public-records requests
• News coverage
• Social media

Decide in advance how much personal information you are comfortable sharing.

You generally do not need to disclose every detail of your:

• Health
• Disability
• Immigration status
• Finances
• Family circumstances
• Employment
• Housing situation

Share only what is relevant and what you are comfortable making public.

Organize your testimony

A simple structure is:

1. Identify yourself and your relevant connection to the issue.
2. State the policy or decision you are addressing.
3. Explain briefly how it affects you or your community.
4. Provide one or two specific examples or supporting facts.
5. State clearly what action you want the decision-making body to take.
6. Thank the body for considering your testimony.

Example

Good evening. My name is Jordan Lee, and I live in Ward 4.

I am asking the council to support the proposed evening transit pilot.

I work until 10 p.m., but the last bus near my workplace leaves before my shift ends. When I cannot get a ride, I have to pay substantially more for another form of transportation.

The city's own ridership report shows that several major employers on this corridor operate evening shifts. Extending service on a trial basis would allow the city to determine whether later service improves access for workers.

Please support the pilot and include evening riders in its evaluation.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Know the hearing rules

Public-comment procedures vary widely.

Before the meeting, check:

• Whether advance registration is required
• Whether speakers sign up online or at the meeting
• The speaking time limit
• Whether written testimony may also be submitted
• Whether virtual or telephone participation is available
• Whether exhibits, photographs, slides, or handouts are permitted
• Whether the meeting will be recorded
• Whether accessibility accommodations are available
• Whether interpretation or language access can be requested

Do not assume that testimony will always be limited to two or three minutes.

Use the actual time limit provided by the decision-making body.

Practice before you speak

Practice can help you determine whether the testimony:

• Fits the time limit
• Has a clear main point
• Explains the connection between your experience and the policy
• Makes a specific request
• Uses understandable language

You may practice by:

• Reading aloud
• Recording yourself
• Practicing with another person
• Timing the testimony
• Reviewing a written outline

You do not need to memorize the testimony.

Reading from notes or prepared remarks may be the best option for some speakers, especially when accuracy, accessibility, anxiety, language, or a strict time limit is a concern.

Know your audience without manipulating it

It can help to understand:

• Which body is making the decision
• What authority it has
• What questions members have already raised
• What evidence has already been presented
• What legal or budget constraints apply

Do not build testimony around stereotypes about the political, religious, racial, economic, or cultural identity of the audience.

For example, knowing that a district is politically conservative or progressive does not tell you how every resident or official will understand a particular policy.

Present the strongest relevant evidence and explain your values transparently rather than searching for an audience's supposed “weak link.”

Emotion and personal testimony

Personal testimony may naturally involve strong emotion.

You do not need to remove emotion from your story in order to be credible.

At the same time, the goal should not be to deliberately intensify the audience's emotions or use graphic material primarily for shock value.

Photographs, documents, or other exhibits may be appropriate when they provide relevant evidence and the hearing rules allow them.

Use them because they help establish or explain the issue, not simply because they are emotionally powerful.

What do you do at a hearing?

Arrive or log in early

Give yourself enough time to:

• Complete registration
• Find the meeting room
• Test virtual meeting technology
• Request any available accommodations
• Review the agenda and public-comment rules

Listen to other speakers

Listen respectfully to people who support, oppose, or approach the issue differently.

If another speaker already made the same point, you may briefly reinforce it and use your remaining time to add something new.

Follow the meeting's procedure

When recognized:

• State your name if required
• Provide any required residency or organizational information
• Address the body according to its rules
• Speak into the microphone or remain unmuted when instructed
• Stay within the allotted time

You do not need to make eye contact with every member of the body or direct all remarks to the person seated in the center.

Focus on communicating clearly in whatever way is comfortable and accessible to you.

Tell your story clearly

Explain:

• Your connection to the issue
• What happened or what you expect to happen
• How the policy affects you
• Why that effect matters
• What action you are requesting

Do not feel obligated to perform emotion

Some people speak emotionally. Others speak calmly, read prepared remarks, use an interpreter, communicate through an assistive device, or provide written testimony.

None of these approaches makes the person's experience inherently more or less legitimate.

Stay respectful without minimizing disagreement

Strong disagreement is appropriate.

Focus on:

• The policy
• The decision
• The evidence
• The effects
• The requested change

Avoid personal attacks on other speakers or decision-makers.

End with the request

Before your time ends, state clearly what you want the body to do.

Then thank the members for considering your testimony.

Written testimony

Some hearings allow or require written testimony.

Written testimony can be useful when:

• Speaking time is very short
• You need to include detailed evidence
• You cannot attend the hearing
• Speaking publicly is difficult or inaccessible
• You want the complete argument included in the record

A written submission may be longer than oral testimony if the hearing rules allow it.

Put the main request near the beginning and organize supporting information clearly.

Virtual testimony

When testimony is given online or by telephone:

• Test the technology in advance
• Use the name required by the meeting platform
• Keep your notes easily visible
• Mute yourself until recognized
• Have a backup plan if the connection fails
• Submit written testimony as well if the process permits it

After the hearing

Depending on the issue, you may:

• Submit requested documentation
• Send written testimony for the record
• Follow the decision or vote
• Thank staff who helped with the process
• Correct an important factual error if the procedure allows it
• Continue participating in later hearings or implementation processes

Keep a copy of your testimony and any supporting evidence.

In Summary

Personal testimony gives people directly affected by public decisions an opportunity to explain how those decisions operate in everyday life.

Begin with your own experience and identify the specific policy or decision you are addressing.

Explain clearly how the policy affects you and what action you want decision-makers to take.

Use relevant evidence when it strengthens or clarifies your account.

Personal experience can demonstrate what happened to one person; additional evidence may be needed to establish how widespread a problem is.

Protect your privacy and obtain permission before sharing another person's identifiable story.

Check the hearing's current rules, including registration, time limits, submission procedures, accessibility, interpretation, and virtual-participation options.

Practice enough to communicate the main point within the available time, but do not feel that you must memorize your remarks.

Understand the decision-making body and the policy context without relying on stereotypes about the audience or trying to exploit supposed political weaknesses.

Emotion may naturally be part of testimony, but it should not be manufactured for effect.

Speak, read, sign, use an interpreter, communicate through assistive technology, or submit written testimony in whatever accepted format allows you to participate effectively.

Listen respectfully to other participants and focus disagreement on policies, evidence, and consequences rather than personal attacks.

Finally, end with a clear request.

The purpose of personal testimony is not simply to persuade through emotion or show decision-makers how “average Americans” feel.

It is to bring lived experience into public decision-making so that policies can be evaluated with a fuller understanding of how they affect the people and communities involved.

___You understand what a personal testimony is

___Your personal testimony works

___You know what you need to write in your testimony

___You know to whom you are speaking when you give your testimony

___You understand the attitudes of decision-makers toward the proposed changes

___You know what the responsibilities of committee members as office holders are

___You know what the current policy is and how it affects you

___You know what the proposed changes are and how they will impact your life

___You know what to do at the public hearing

Example #1: Testifying in support of public radio funds

Good evening. My name is Rusty Cameron and I live within the broadcasting range of KLXR. I farm wheat and milo west of Perry. I work fifteen hours a day to help support my wife, two daughters, and a baby who's expected to arrive during the fall harvest. It's important that I keep up with the farm and financial news every day. But I'm legally blind. I can see well enough to drive my tractor in an open field of 100 rows of wheat, but I can't read the masthead on my town paper. I can pick out the shapes of my little girls playing in the front yard as I sit in the porch swing, but I can't read the instructions on my tax forms. And that's why I depend on KLXR. KLXR radio gives me the information I need when I need it; I don't have to take time out of my day to get to town and pay 75 cents for a newspaper. I can listen to the farming news on KLXR while I drive the combine or slop feed to the hogs. At night before going to bed at 11:00 p.m., I can turn on KLXR and hear world news and then listen to a couple chapters from a history book that I can't read by myself.

So you see, cutting the amount of matching funds that you can give to this wonderful, needed radio service would jeopardize the amount of information that I get each day, and therefore jeopardize how well I can do my job. My neighbor down the way has an elderly mother, who, like me, can no longer read regular sized print. Yet she still can enjoy the books and newspapers she used to when she was a librarian by listening to KLXR. And one of my daughter's schoolmates has a reading disability; but volunteers at KLXR record books for her so she can learn in her own way while she tries to overcome her dyslexia.

I depend on KLXR like some people depend on the telephone or the television. I hope you'll reconsider cutting these funds and taking such a valuable service away. Thank you.

Example #2: Testifying against a bridge closing

Hello. My name is Barbara Anderson and I run a home daycare in Eudora. I have seven families who send their children to me five days a week, ten hours a day. Many of these families live north of the Kill Creek Bridge and drive seven to ten miles southwest to my home halfway between Eudora and Lawrence. If you close the Kill Creek Bridge, the families that I serve will have to drive 35 miles out of their normal routes, around Ottawa down Highway 40, to reach their babysitter. Closing Kill Creek Bridge will add up to another hour on to their commute, taking up time that could be better spent at work, going grocery shopping, or spent with their families.

Not only will closing the bridge put a lot of extra stress and hassle on these families, but it will kill my business. I provide childcare for their kids and they provide me with my own business and way of life. Closing the Kill Creek Bridge will destroy my livelihood and add the extra burden of these families either having to drive an extra hour to get to my home or having to find new childcare. And the closest registered daycare is forty miles away, in Liberty. Please don't close Kill Creek Bridge. Thank you.

Example #3: Testifying from personal experience

Scene: A public hearing concerning a change in educational policy that would reduce the requirment for public schools to provide equal education to all students. A woman took the floor. There was a moment of silence as she looked at the panel of officials who were charged with the decision.

She said, "My name is Barbara Krieder. It may not look like it to you, but I'm disabled. I have a learning disability. I can't read. When I was a child, my disability was not diagnosed, and I didn't get the special kind of help from my teacher that could have helped me learn how to read. Now I can't go to a restaurant alone, because I'm too embarrassed to tell the waitress I can't read the menu. I can't drive, because I can't read the sign on the road. I can't even read stories to my own children. I'm not stupid. I just never learned how to read."

She paused for a moment. "Now, whatever you do won't change things for me. It's too late for me. But it's not too late for those young kinds. If you change the law, the way I hear it, the kids whose lives were looking brighter than mine will end up suffering the same as I did. Teachers won't know how they have a disability. They'll push the kids too hard, or in the wrong way, or most likely they'll give up on them like they gave up on me. Those kids will just turn into shadows. So, what do you tell a kid like me? Where's the justice in it? What kind of progress have we made when kids like me still can't learn to read?"

She stopped and looked at each member on the panel. Then she returned to her seat.

Example #4: From Homelessness to Housing in San Francisco: Portraits and Oral History​

As we build collaboration across sectors, storytelling and art that lifts up success stories become more and more important. A moving new multi-media art project called “Everyone Deserves a Home” on display in San Francisco’s Public Library asks 40 formally homeless residents in supportive housing, “what does home mean to you?”

Example #5: Everyday Sexism Project

As she was growing up, Laura Bates, a British feminist, was developing an increasing awareness of the gender inequality around her. In April of 2012 she started the Everyday Sexism Project website, which documents instances of sexism, women around the world face daily.

Read more about Laura Bates here.

Contributed by Lia Thompson, University of Kansas, Community Tool Box Intern.

Who, me? A lobbyist?

Quite possibly.

Lobbying is often associated with professional advocates, corporations, interest groups, and political influence. But community members, nonprofit organizations, coalitions, businesses, and other groups also communicate with decision-makers about policies and public issues.

Lobbying can be an appropriate and socially responsible form of civic participation when it is conducted lawfully, transparently, and without bribery, improper gifts, threats, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other forms of improper influence.

What do we mean by lobbying?

In this section, lobbying means communicating with a person or institution that has authority over a decision and asking for a particular policy, budget, administrative, legislative, or organizational action.

Much lobbying involves government decision-makers, such as:

• City council members
• County commissioners
• School board members
• State legislators
• Members of Congress
• Governors and other elected officials
• Agency officials
• Other public decision-makers

Similar advocacy may also involve people outside government, such as:

• Organizational boards
• Business leaders
• University administrators
• Hospital or health-system leaders
• Foundation or nonprofit leaders
• Other people with authority over an institutional decision

The legal definition of lobbying may be narrower than the broad advocacy meaning used in everyday conversation.

Organizations should check the laws, ethics rules, disclosure requirements, grant restrictions, tax rules, and internal policies that apply to their activities.

Lobbying is not bribery or improper influence

Ethical lobbying does not involve:

• Bribes
• Kickbacks
• Undisclosed gifts
• Quid-pro-quo arrangements
• Improper personal favors
• Threats or harassment
• Misrepresentation of facts or community support

Ethical lobbying relies on evidence, experience, values, community priorities, and a clear explanation of the action being requested.

Why lobby decision-makers?

Lobbying can help decision-makers understand perspectives, experiences, and information that may not otherwise be part of the decision-making process.

You may lobby because:

• A proposed decision affects you or your community
• You have relevant lived experience or technical knowledge
• Important evidence has not yet been considered
• You support or oppose a proposed policy
• You believe a policy should be revised
• You want decision-makers to consider another option
• You want greater oversight, funding, or implementation
• You want to explain the consequences of a current policy

Do not assume that the decision-maker is less informed than you are.

Different people may hold different forms of knowledge. Community members may understand lived effects, agency staff may understand implementation, researchers may understand evidence, and elected officials may understand legislative, budget, or legal constraints.

Effective lobbying can bring those forms of knowledge into the same decision-making process.

When should you lobby?

Lobbying may be useful when a person or institution with relevant authority is considering, implementing, reviewing, or funding an issue that matters to your community.

Timing may be especially important:

• Before a legislative or board vote
• While a bill or proposal is being considered by a committee
• During a budget process
• During development of regulations or administrative policy
• When implementation problems become visible
• When new evidence becomes available
• When decision-makers request community input
• When an issue requires sustained public oversight

Avoid unnecessary or excessive contact

Repeated contact is not automatically more effective.

If an office has already received your information, consider whether your next communication adds:

• New evidence
• A new development
• A specific question
• An additional affected perspective
• A response to a recent decision

Persistence can be appropriate, but repeated unwanted personal contact can undermine the effort and cross professional boundaries.

How should you lobby decision-makers?

Start with the issue

Define clearly:

• What decision is being made
• Who has authority over it
• What you want to happen
• Why you believe that action is appropriate
• Who may be affected
• What evidence supports your position
• What important tradeoffs or uncertainties exist

Do not choose issues only because they appear easy to win, emotionally sympathetic, or politically advantageous.

Important issues may be difficult, unpopular, or affect relatively small populations.

The strength of an advocacy issue should depend on its significance, evidence, equity, legal context, community priorities, and potential effects – not simply its likelihood of generating favorable publicity.

Follow the issue closely

Use current, reliable sources to understand:

• The text of proposed legislation or policy
• Amendments
• Committee activity
• Hearing schedules
• Budget proposals
• Agency guidance
• Votes and implementation decisions

Government websites, legislative tracking systems, public meeting agendas, agency notices, reputable news organizations, and other current sources may help.

Larger organizations may designate staff or volunteers to monitor relevant public policy and report important developments.

Build meaningful community participation

Community support can matter, but advocacy should not be measured simply by how many people can be mobilized.

Strong participation means that people understand the issue and have a meaningful opportunity to express their own views.

Community members may:

• Help define the advocacy goal
• Share lived experience
• Review proposed policy
• Contact decision-makers
• Provide testimony
• Participate in meetings
• Evaluate proposed alternatives

Avoid creating the appearance of community support through identical scripts, undisclosed coordination, or messages sent by people who do not understand or support the position.

Constituents may appropriately hold elected officials accountable

Constituents have a legitimate interest in knowing how elected officials vote and what positions they take.

It is appropriate to:

• Ask an official to explain a position
• Track votes
• Publish accurate voting records
• Tell an official that an issue matters to constituents
• Consider an official's record when voting

Accountability should not be framed as a personal threat.

A more constructive message is:

This issue matters to people in your district. We are following the proposal closely and would like to understand how you plan to address it.

Identify the relevant decision-makers

Determine who actually has authority over the decision.

For legislation, this may include:

• Your elected representatives
• Committee chairs
• Committee members
• Legislative leadership
• Sponsors or cosponsors
• Relevant legislative staff

For administrative or institutional issues, identify:

• The responsible department
• Staff responsible for implementation
• The board or official with final authority
• Any formal public-comment or review process

Use official directories and organizational information rather than relying primarily on informal connections.

Understand the decision process

Knowing who has authority is only part of the task.

Also learn:

• What stage the proposal is in
• Which committees or departments are involved
• What deadlines apply
• Whether public comment is available
• What vote or approval is required
• What staff members work on the issue

Communicate with decision-makers

Offices may provide several ways to communicate, including:

• Email
• Official web forms
• Phone
• Virtual meetings
• In-person office meetings
• Community office hours
• Public hearings
• Postal mail
• Organized constituent meetings

Ask the office which method is most appropriate if you are unsure.

Respect personal and professional boundaries

Do not contact an official at a private home, personal event, family activity, restaurant, place of worship, recreational activity, or other personal setting simply because the person is difficult to reach officially.

Do not use private contact information obtained through personal connections unless the recipient has agreed to be contacted that way.

Use official communication channels, scheduled meetings, public events, or mutually agreed introductions.

Staff members are legitimate points of contact

Legislative and administrative staff often:

• Research policy
• Review constituent correspondence
• Schedule meetings
• Track legislation
• Prepare briefings
• Advise decision-makers

Treat staff members as professionals rather than as barriers between you and the official.

A constructive working relationship with relevant staff can improve communication and help you understand the decision-making process.

Invite officials to community meetings when appropriate

An elected official or staff member may be willing to attend:

• Community forums
• Listening sessions
• Site visits
• Public meetings
• Issue briefings
• Constituent events

Give adequate notice and explain:

• The purpose of the event
• Who will participate
• What role you are asking the official to play
• Whether the event is public
• Whether media will be present

Do not imply that attendance is politically obligatory or arrange an event primarily to create reputational pressure.

Prepare the message

A clear lobbying message usually explains:

• Who you are
• Whether you are a constituent
• What organization you represent, if any
• Your connection to the issue
• The bill, policy, budget item, or decision involved
• The action you are requesting
• The evidence supporting your position
• The likely effects of the decision
• Important tradeoffs or implementation concerns

Identify yourself transparently

State whether you are speaking:

• For yourself
• For an organization
• For a coalition
• In a professional capacity

Do not imply that you represent a larger population unless you have authority or evidence to do so.

Disclose relevant organizational or financial interests when appropriate or required.

Make a specific request

Examples include:

• Vote for or against a particular bill
• Support an amendment
• Preserve or change a budget item
• Request agency review
• Sponsor legislation
• Hold a hearing
• Change an administrative practice

Include the bill number, policy title, hearing date, or other identifying information when available.

Support the request with evidence

Use information that is:

• Accurate
• Relevant
• Current
• Clearly sourced
• Proportionate to what the evidence actually establishes

Personal experience can explain how a policy works in practice.

Research and data can help establish scale, patterns, costs, outcomes, or likely effects.

Use both when appropriate.

Explain benefits, costs, and tradeoffs

Decision-makers need more than a list of reasons to support your position.

Be prepared to discuss:

• Who benefits
• Who may bear costs
• Implementation challenges
• Budget effects
• Legal requirements
• Possible unintended consequences
• Alternatives

Do not dismiss possible downsides as easily overcome unless you have evidence supporting that conclusion.

Do not rely mainly on the official's personal self-interest

It can be appropriate to explain how a proposal affects constituents, public resources, agency responsibilities, local employers, services, or other legitimate interests.

Avoid building the message primarily around:

• Helping an official gain publicity
• Making the official look like a hero
• Helping the official win reelection
• Advancing the official's personal career
• Avoiding embarrassment

The strongest case should explain why the requested action serves the policy objective, community, public responsibility, or institution involved.

Keep communication concise and respectful

Decision-makers and staff often review large amounts of information.

Make the main request easy to identify.

Additional documentation can be provided separately when needed.

Strong disagreement is appropriate.

Avoid:

• Personal attacks
• Harassment
• Threats
• Unsupported accusations
• Misrepresentation of public support

Follow up appropriately

After a meeting or communication:

• Send requested information
• Correct any important factual errors
• Confirm major commitments in writing
• Track the relevant vote or decision
• Thank staff or officials for their time when appropriate
• Continue communication when new developments justify it

Do not continue contacting an individual through personal channels after the person or office has asked you to use another process.

Evaluate the lobbying effort

After a decision, ask:

• Did decision-makers understand the request?
• Was the evidence accurate and useful?
• Were people directly affected meaningfully involved?
• Did the advocacy accurately represent community support?
• Were important tradeoffs acknowledged?
• Did the strategy respect ethical and professional boundaries?
• What should be done differently next time?

In Summary

Lobbying is one way community members and organizations can communicate with people who have authority over public or institutional decisions.

Ethical lobbying relies on evidence, experience, transparency, lawful civic participation, and a clear request.

It does not require bribery, gifts, personal favors, threats, or undisclosed arrangements.

Begin by identifying the decision, the people or institutions with authority, and the action you want them to take.

Understand the decision-making process and use current official information to track legislation, policy, budgets, hearings, and implementation.

Build meaningful community participation rather than simply trying to maximize numbers or create the appearance of broad support.

Constituents can appropriately monitor officials' votes and consider those records when making electoral decisions, but accountability need not be framed as a personal threat.

Use official or mutually agreed communication channels and respect personal boundaries.

Treat legislative and administrative staff as important participants in the policymaking process.

State who you are, what you are asking for, why you are asking, and what evidence supports your position.

Explain likely benefits, costs, tradeoffs, and unintended consequences honestly.

Do not build the case primarily around opportunities for an official to gain publicity, political advantage, or personal status.

Keep communication clear, concise, respectful, and accurate.

Follow up when there is new information or a meaningful next step.

Finally, remember that lobbying is not simply about persuading someone with more power to give you what you want.

At its best, it is a form of civic participation that brings evidence, lived experience, community priorities, and proposed solutions into decisions that affect the public.

Example #1: Knowing your legislators

Candy Lightner, the woman who started the national organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving, recounts this story which illustrates the importance of knowing your legislators:

When I first decided to start the organization, one of the first people I went to was an old and dear friend, and he said to me, "What is it you want to do? "

And I said, "Well, I've started this organization, and I want to do something. "

And he says, "Do you know what?"

And I said, "Not really. What do you think I should do?"

And he said, "Well, I think you should go see your assembly person."

And I said, "Who's that?"

And he said, "Well, what district are you in?"

And I said, "I don't know."

And he said, "Well, what are you, a Republican or a Democrat?"

And I said, "I'm not either."

And he says, "Well, don't you vote?"

And I said, "No, I don't."

And he got so angry with me he sent me out of the office, and said, "Don't you even come back until you're registered to vote." And I didn't know how to register to vote....

But Candy Lightner learned fast. Eventually, she succeeded admirably in getting tougher laws against drunk drivers. But she never would have gotten anywhere until she learned something about her local decision-makers and the legislative process.

[From Bill Berkowitz, Local Heroes (Lexington, MA: Lexington Books, 1987), pp. 127 -128.]
 

Example #2: Developing a base of support

Judy Meredith, a professional human service lobbyist, describes the necessity of developing a grass-roots base of support:

"Yes, I am a full-time lobbyist. But I spend half my time organizing and mobilizing my clients into district-based grass-roots networks, because that's where the power is. So I'm going to a meeting tomorrow morning around the kids access issue to health care. We're doing two things. One, we're identifying reps who are most likely to vote for this, who might be undecided, or who might know nothing at all. And the professional lobbyist will walk up to the State House and drop off factual materials for every one of those people.

But at the same time, we will be telling various organizations -- the teachers, the hospital association, the Medical Society, everybody, saying, "Next week, we think this vote's coming up. Your job is to call your rep, with this specific message." So the rep knows exactly how this affects his district. How does he know? Because maybe 30-40 people have called him. Saying something like, "You know me. I'm on the board of the community hospital. We think this is an important piece of legislation, and we know it's going to be up next week, and we really hope you're going to vote for it, we hope we can count on you." And this legislator comes in and finds maybe 50 more pink slips on his desk. Then the bill comes up, and it's time to vote yes or no -- he is much more likely to vote yes.

Judy continues by describing why this grass-roots support really does count:

"You see, a legislative body makes decisions where opinion is weighted equal to fact. Because there's too much to know. The legislators are up there, the calendar has 150 items on it, they see the title of a bill and they go, [whispers] "What the hell is this bill about?". And they say to the guy next to them, "Do you know anything about this?" They can see it's sponsored by somebody who is generally trustworthy. So unless they've been lobbied to say "This is a terrible bill," they don't know any better. So they make most of their decisions based on opinion, the more so than fact. And our job is to get the fact in there and change their opinion.

It's a human place. I mean, human beings are good, and if you give them the right information, they'll make the right decisions...

Adapted from an interview with Judy Meredith

Example #3: A Successful Lobbying Effort

One of the best examples we know comes from a lobbying project carried out in Illinois. The issue there was a proposal to require safety seats for young children in cars. The state senate was scheduled to vote on the bill; sentiments were mixed. But two university researchers studied the issue, collected some new facts, and sent this written message to all state senators:

"As you know, the Child Passenger Protection Act (House Bill 608) is likely to be brought before the Illinois State Senate within the next month. We would like to provide you pertinent data that we hope will be useful to you as you consider this piece of legislation.

"Tom Rose and I, 2 investigators at DePaul University, have been collecting data over the past eight months and have found that 93% of children 4 years and less are not placed in appropriate restraints when riding in automobiles. These data were collected in the Chicago metropolitan area and are based on looking at whether children in 1450 cars were in appropriate restraints. To obtain information about citizen attitudes concerning the issue of child restraints in automobiles, in March of 1982, Mr. Rose and I interviewed a sample of Illinois citizens and found that 78% of adults in the Chicago metropolitan area would support the passage of the Child Protection Passenger Act.

"Illinois traffic statistics indicate that 140 children were killed and 25,828 children injured in automobile accidents during the period from 1975-1981. Not only do these statistics represent a tragic loss of human life and potential, they also represent a tremendous cost in rehabilitative care. For example, a 3-year-old who sustains a spinal injury in an automobile accident-- not an infrequent injury -- and is rendered a paraplegic will require $724,240 dollars in rehabilitative care over his or her life. If this child were rendered a quadriplegic, costs would exceed $3,317,929 for rehabilitative care over his/her lifetime.

"Finally, states that have adopted child restraint legislation have experienced significant increases in the use of restraint devices. In Tennessee, for example, twice as many children were placed in appropriate restraints after the Tennessee Child Passenger Protection Act became law on January 1, 1978.

"We hope this information is useful. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions. I can be reached at 312-[xxx-xxxx]."

When the actual vote was taken, this bill passed by a close-to-unanimous majority and became law. The written communication here--lobbying, in the best sense of the word--clearly made a big difference. The form and content of the message are excellent illustrations of many of the points we have made above. [From Leonard Jason and Thomas Rose, American journal of community psychology, 1984.]

You may not be a university researcher, and you may not be able to collect original data. But by presenting your facts in a clear, forceful, and respectful manner, your own work in influencing decision-makers is much more likely to be successful. 

Tool #1:

Before you begin lobbying:

___You have chosen an issue that is compelling

___The issue is sympathetic to the audience

___The issue is winnable

___You have followed the issue closely

___If you have a larger group, you have created a public policy team to track relevant issues

___You have a strong base of support

___You know who the decision-makers are for your issue

___You are aware of the current status of any relevant legislation

___You know how to contact decision-makers and/or aides

While you are lobbying:

___You stated your name and if appropriate your address and phone number

___You have stated the group or organization (if any) you represent

___Your reason for contact is clear

___You know the name, number, and current status of the bill if it is pending legislation

___You stated the specific action you want taken

___The reason for taking this action is clear

___The reason why the action you recommend will advance the decision-maker's interest is stated

___You have kept the type of contact short and to the point

___You were polite throughout the contact

___You have showed appreciation to the person(s) the contact is directed at

___You have thanked the person(s)

Imagine that a local health coalition is seeking public funding for an early-childhood health program.

Some organizations that often disagree with the coalition on other policy questions may nevertheless share concerns about infant health, family well-being, preventive care, or responsible use of public funds.

The coalition does not assume that those organizations will support the proposal.

Instead, it decides to open a conversation, learn how those groups view the issue, identify any genuine areas of agreement, and determine whether communication would be useful even if no formal partnership develops.

Advocacy sometimes requires working across significant differences.

This section discusses how to establish respectful communication with people or organizations that often hold different positions from your own.

What do we mean by establishing lines of communication with people who often hold different positions?

Establishing a line of communication means creating a reliable and appropriate way to exchange information, ask questions, clarify misunderstandings, and discuss issues when useful.

The people or organizations involved may disagree with you on many issues while sharing concerns or goals on a particular one.

Communication does not require:

• Agreement on every issue
• A formal alliance
• Endorsement of one another's broader agendas
• A commitment to work together in the future

Sometimes the most valuable result is simply having a respectful channel through which people can contact one another when an issue arises.

Avoid assuming who will agree or disagree

Political, religious, professional, cultural, age, racial, geographic, or organizational identities do not reliably predict every position a person or group will take.

People may agree on one issue and strongly disagree on another.

Before labeling someone as an ally or opponent, examine:

• Their actual public positions
• Their organization's mission
• Their history on the specific issue
• What they say their priorities are
• Whether their position has changed over time

Do not build outreach strategies around stereotypes about how a demographic or political group is supposed to think.

Why establish communication across differences?

To understand one another more accurately

When groups communicate only through public arguments, campaign materials, news coverage, or assumptions about one another, misunderstandings can grow.

Direct communication can help clarify:

• What each group actually believes
• What each group is trying to accomplish
• Which facts are disputed
• Which values or priorities differ
• Where agreement already exists

To correct misinformation or misunderstanding

Misunderstandings may arise from:

• Incorrect information
• Incomplete information
• Public statements taken out of context
• Errors in judgment
• Misinterpretation of another group's actions
• Lack of direct communication

A trusted communication channel can make it easier to clarify what happened before a misunderstanding becomes a larger conflict.

To address harm or serious mistakes responsibly

If a staff member, volunteer, leader, or organizational representative commits serious misconduct, communication with affected communities or organizations may be appropriate.

The response should focus on:

• Acknowledging what occurred
• Taking responsibility for the organization's own response
• Supporting people affected
• Taking appropriate corrective or disciplinary action
• Preventing recurrence
• Listening to affected communities

Do not approach another organization primarily because the crisis creates a political opportunity or because contact could improve your image.

To identify genuine common ground

Organizations that disagree broadly may still share goals involving:

• Public health
• Safety
• Education
• Family well-being
• Economic stability
• Environmental protection
• Government accountability
• Another specific community concern

Working together on one issue does not require agreement on unrelated issues.

To improve future communication

Even when no partnership develops, having a reliable contact can be useful when:

• A new issue emerges
• A public statement may affect both groups
• A misunderstanding needs clarification
• Community tensions increase
• Joint problem-solving becomes possible

To learn from disagreement

Communication should not be treated only as a way to move the other party toward your position.

Another group may identify:

• Evidence you overlooked
• A legitimate implementation concern
• A value conflict you had not understood
• An unintended consequence
• A stronger alternative

Be prepared for the possibility that communication may change your own understanding as well.

Communication is not the same as coalition building

A conversation does not automatically create a partnership.

Different levels of relationship may include:

• Occasional information sharing
• A reliable contact for urgent issues
• Dialogue about areas of disagreement
• Cooperation on one specific project
• A formal coalition or partnership

Let the relationship develop according to actual areas of agreement and trust.

Do not treat another group's participation mainly as a way to weaken someone else's coalition or increase your own political strength.

When might outreach not be appropriate?

Communication across differences can be useful, but it is not always necessary or safe.

Consider whether:

• The proposed conversation has a meaningful purpose
• The other party is willing to communicate in good faith
• Participation would create safety or retaliation risks
• The relationship would require people directly affected by harm to interact with those responsible for it
• The time and resources required are proportionate to the likely benefit
• Another process, such as mediation, formal negotiation, investigation, regulation, or legal action, is more appropriate

Communication is not a substitute for accountability when serious misconduct or ongoing harm is involved.

How do you establish communication?

Understand the organizations and issues involved

Before reaching out, learn:

• What the other organization actually says about the issue
• What your own organization has said
• Where the positions differ
• Where possible areas of agreement exist
• Whether there is a history of conflict or cooperation
• Whether anyone directly affected should be involved

Do not assume motives such as prejudice, selfishness, ideology, or bad faith without evidence.

Identify the appropriate contact

Determine who has responsibility for the issue or for external communication.

This might be:

• A program director
• A policy staff member
• A community-engagement staff member
• An executive director
• A board representative
• Another designated organizational contact

Administrative and support staff should be treated as professionals, not as “gatekeepers” whose main role is to block or permit access.

Choose a legitimate reason for contact

Useful reasons may include:

• Clarifying a misunderstanding
• Discussing a specific policy
• Sharing relevant information
• Asking for the other organization's perspective
• Exploring whether common ground exists
• Discussing a shared community concern
• Repairing a damaged relationship
• Asking whether collaboration on a limited project is possible

Avoid contacting someone mainly because another organization has recently experienced internal conflict and you believe the moment can be exploited.

Use timing responsibly

Timing can affect whether someone has the attention and capacity for a conversation.

Good times to reach out may include:

• When the other party has contacted you
• When a relevant policy decision is approaching
• When misinformation needs clarification
• When both groups are responding to the same community issue
• At the beginning of an initiative when genuine participation is still possible

Do not time outreach around private family events, personal celebrations, vulnerability, organizational crises, or other circumstances simply because you believe the other party may be easier to influence.

Use introductions transparently

A mutual contact can sometimes make an introduction easier.

An appropriate intermediary might:

• Ask both parties whether they are open to an introduction
• Explain why the conversation may be useful
• Share contact information with permission
• Attend the first meeting if both parties want that

Do not recruit spouses, relatives, friends, or acquaintances to create access without the knowledge of the person being contacted.

Personal relationships should facilitate consensual introductions, not be used as leverage.

Do not engineer “accidental” encounters

Avoid deliberately placing yourself at someone's restaurant, bar, recreational activity, family event, conference activity, place of worship, or other personal setting in order to create an apparently spontaneous encounter.

If you meet someone naturally at a public event and the issue comes up, you may communicate appropriately.

But planned outreach should generally use official, professional, or mutually agreed channels.

Choose the communication method that fits the situation

Possible methods include:

• Email
• Phone
• Video meeting
• Scheduled in-person meeting
• Formal letter
• An introduction through a mutual contact

Do not assume that face-to-face communication is always superior.

Consider:

• Accessibility
• Distance
• Privacy
• Safety
• Scheduling
• The sensitivity of the issue
• The communication preferences of the people involved

Who should represent your organization?

Choose someone who:

• Understands the issue
• Can explain your organization's position accurately
• Listens carefully
• Can acknowledge legitimate disagreement
• Knows what commitments they are authorized to make
• Can communicate respectfully under tension
• Is willing to reconsider assumptions when new information emerges

Authority matters more than prestige

If the conversation may involve commitments, send someone who has authority to make or recommend those commitments.

Do not choose a representative mainly because the other organization is impressed by job titles, wealth, social status, professional prestige, or political influence.

Avoid class or institutional stereotypes

Do not assume that a corporate office, neighborhood organization, grassroots group, university, faith community, or other setting requires a particular kind of person in order to be taken seriously.

Respectful communication should not depend on whether someone is comfortable around expensive offices or informal community spaces.

Prepare representatives to understand the organizational context without stereotyping the people who work there.

What should the first substantive conversation cover?

Clarify the purpose

Begin by explaining why you requested the conversation.

You might say:

Our organizations often take different positions, but we may have overlapping concerns about this particular proposal. We wanted to understand how you see the issue and whether there is anything useful for us to discuss.

Ask questions

Useful questions may include:

• How does your organization understand this issue?
• What concerns do you have?
• What outcomes matter most to you?
• What information do you think is missing?
• Where do you think our organizations agree?
• Where do we disagree?
• Is there any useful next step we should consider?

Establish common ground without hiding disagreement

Do not manufacture agreement.

It is acceptable to conclude:

• We agree on the goal but not the strategy.
• We agree on one part of the proposal but not another.
• We do not agree, but we now understand the disagreement better.
• We may be able to work together on a separate issue.

Offer help without creating an implied exchange

Sharing useful information or assistance can build trust.

However, avoid framing help as an implicit trade:

We helped you, so now you should support us.

Be clear when assistance is being offered without conditions.

Apologize when an apology is warranted

A genuine apology can help repair a relationship.

An effective apology should focus on:

• What happened
• The harm or concern
• Your organization's responsibility
• What corrective action is being taken

Do not apologize primarily as a public-relations strategy or as a way to obtain future support.

Provide advance notice when appropriate

If your organization is about to make a public announcement that significantly affects another organization, advance notice may sometimes be appropriate.

This should be done to support accurate communication and reduce unnecessary surprise, not to trade advance information for cooperation.

Follow up on the conversation

If both parties want continued communication, agree on a practical next step.

This might include:

• Sharing documents
• Scheduling another meeting
• Identifying staff contacts
• Reviewing a proposal
• Exploring a limited joint project
• Agreeing to contact one another when a relevant issue arises

Keep commitments made during the conversation.

If circumstances change and you cannot meet a commitment, explain that promptly.

Do not force ongoing communication

Not every first conversation needs to become a permanent relationship.

Continue communication when:

• Both parties find it useful
• Shared work is continuing
• Relevant issues arise
• Maintaining the relationship reduces misunderstanding or conflict

If the other party declines further communication, respect that decision unless there is a legitimate reason to use another formal process.

Periodically reassess whether the relationship still needs regular attention.

When communication fails

A person or organization may decline to meet or may decide not to continue a relationship.

That does not necessarily mean either side acted improperly.

Consider:

• Whether the purpose of the outreach was clear
• Whether the timing was appropriate
• Whether trust had been damaged previously
• Whether the disagreement is too substantial for collaboration
• Whether another communication method would be more appropriate
• Whether further outreach should simply stop

Circumstances may change later, but do not repeatedly send “feelers” after someone has clearly declined contact.

In Summary

Advocacy does not require treating every person or organization with a different position as an enemy.

Groups that disagree on many issues may still benefit from respectful communication.

A communication channel can help correct misunderstandings, exchange information, identify genuine common ground, reduce unnecessary conflict, and create opportunities for limited cooperation.

Do not assume political, religious, cultural, age, or organizational identities tell you exactly what someone believes.

Learn the other party's actual position before deciding whether communication is useful.

Communication should not be pursued primarily to weaken someone else's coalition, enlarge your own power base, exploit internal conflict, or convert another group's supporters.

Use official, professional, or mutually agreed channels.

Personal introductions can be useful when everyone involved knows and agrees to the introduction, but personal relationships should not be used as covert leverage.

Do not engineer apparently accidental encounters or time outreach around private personal circumstances in order to increase influence.

Choose representatives who understand the issue, listen well, communicate respectfully, and have the authority needed for the conversation.

In the first substantive discussion, explain your purpose, ask questions, identify genuine agreement and disagreement, and avoid pretending that collaboration exists when it does not.

Keep commitments and follow up when both parties want the communication to continue.

Ongoing contact does not have to continue indefinitely.

Respect a decision not to continue communicating.

Finally, remember that the strongest reason to communicate across differences is not to gain strategic advantage.

It is to understand one another more accurately, reduce unnecessary conflict, and make cooperation possible where real common ground exists.

What is establishing lines of communication with the opposition's traditional allies?

___You establish lines of communication with your opposition's traditional allies in order to create a channel through which you can talk with one another when there is important information to be passed on or discussed, and to develop understanding and a basis for possible cooperation or alliance in the future.

Why would you establish lines of communication with the opposition's traditional allies?

You establish line of communication with the opposition's traditional allies to:

___Alleviate misunderstandings.

___Find allies wherever you can.

___Reduce your opposition's power base.

___Expand your own power base.

___Expand your network of contacts.

___Change your opposition's minds through their allies.

___Set up future alliances, and perhaps new relationships, among your opposition's traditional allies.

How do you establish lines of communication with the opposition's traditional allies?

You have conducted gathered background information and information about the interests of these groups:

___Your opponents.

___Their allies.

___Your allies.

You have timed your initial communication with the opposition when (may be one or more of these):

___Your opposition's traditional allies contact you.

___You know that the opposition's traditional allies are sympathetic to your cause or your point of view.

___Your opposition has done something to alienate one or more of its traditional allies.

___You've just learned of or gained a particularly good contact.

___You have something to offer.

___You're at the beginning of an initiative.

___You decide who will make the initial contact.

___You decide how to make the initial contact.

You have decided who will represent you in the first significant interchange based on:

___Interpersonal and communication skills.

___Background and information.

___Flexibility.

___Status.

___Familiarity with the other party's world.

You have decided on the content of the first real interchange, choosing one or more from among:

___Starting an open-ended conversation - perhaps, but not necessarily, about the advocacy issue - with no specific goal.

___Offering help or counsel to the other party in some way.

___Asking for something specific.

___Establishing common ground.

___Discussing common problems or issues, with an eye toward a solution.

___Apologizing for or explaining an error on your part or a misunderstanding on the other's.

___Letting the other party know about something you're about to say or do.

___Asking for noninterference, cooperation, or collaboration.

___You take action on making contact and holding a first significant communication.

___You follow up on your conversation, and try to schedule future communication.

___You maintain communication lines indefinitely.

What is a petition drive?

A petition is a written or electronic statement that people sign to express support for a specific request, position, proposal, or action.

A petition drive is the organized process of gathering those signatures and presenting them to a person, organization, public body, or other decision-maker with authority over the issue.

Petitions can be used to:

• Request a new policy or action
• Support or oppose a proposed policy
• Ask for an existing action to be changed or reversed
• Demonstrate that multiple people share a concern
• Trigger a formal governmental process when applicable law allows it

The significance of a petition depends on its purpose.

Some petitions have formal legal consequences when specific procedural requirements are met.

Others communicate public or organizational support but do not legally require the recipient to act.

What types of petitions are there?

Petitions can generally be divided into two broad categories:

• Governmental or legally regulated petitions
• Non-governmental petitions

Governmental petitions

Governmental petitions may be used in processes involving:

• Ballot initiatives
• Referenda
• Candidate qualification
• Recall procedures
• Legislative or regulatory processes
• Other legally defined petition procedures

The exact meaning and availability of these procedures vary by jurisdiction.

For example, a ballot initiative may allow eligible voters to propose a measure for the ballot, while a referendum may allow voters to approve, reject, or advise on a public decision.

Because governmental petitions can have legal consequences, organizers must follow the current rules issued by the responsible election authority, government body, or agency.

Requirements may address:

• Who may sign
• How many valid signatures are required
• Geographic distribution of signatures
• Petition wording
• Required forms
• Circulator requirements
• Signature-verification procedures
• Deadlines
• Submission procedures
• Appeal or challenge procedures

Do not assume that a process described in another state, county, city, or election cycle applies to your petition.

Verify current requirements through the official authority responsible for the petition.

Non-governmental petitions

A non-governmental petition is directed to a business, nonprofit organization, institution, association, employer, school, university, or another non-governmental decision-maker.

These petitions usually have more flexibility in:

• Format
• Length
• Signature collection
• Submission method

However, the recipient is generally not legally required to take the requested action simply because a certain number of people signed.

The petition instead communicates that identifiable people support a particular request or concern.

Why conduct a petition drive?

A petition may be useful when several people want to communicate the same request to a decision-maker in a clear and organized way.

A petition drive may:

• Demonstrate that an issue concerns multiple people
• Bring a community concern to a decision-maker's attention
• Create a record of public or organizational support
• Encourage people to learn more about an issue
• Help identify people who want to participate further
• Satisfy a legal requirement for a governmental process
• Support a broader advocacy or community-engagement effort

A petition is not automatically evidence that the majority agrees

The number of signatures tells you how many valid people signed the petition.

It does not necessarily tell you:

• What everyone in the community believes
• How strongly each signer supports the issue
• Whether people who did not sign oppose the petition
• Whether the signers are representative of the larger population

Describe the results accurately.

For example, say:

1,850 people signed the petition.

rather than:

The entire community supports this proposal.

When might a petition drive be useful?

Consider a petition when:

• There is a specific action you want a decision-maker to consider
• Several people share the concern
• Signatures have a formal role in the decision process
• A petition provides a practical way for people to participate
• The issue can be explained clearly enough for people to make an informed decision about signing
• You have enough time and capacity to collect and manage signatures responsibly

A petition should not be used simply because it is easy to circulate or because large numbers will make an organization appear influential.

When may another approach be better?

A petition may not be the most useful tool when:

• The issue requires detailed technical analysis
• A formal complaint or regulatory process is required
• Immediate safety action is needed
• The decision-maker does not have authority over the requested action
• People directly affected need a more substantial role than simply signing
• The issue requires negotiation rather than a yes-or-no request

A petition can also be combined with other forms of participation, such as:

• Public testimony
• Meetings
• Individual letters
• Community forums
• Formal public comments
• Research or policy proposals

How should you conduct a petition drive?

Define exactly what you want to accomplish

Before collecting signatures, answer:

• What change are we requesting?
• Who has authority to make that change?
• What exactly will signing the petition communicate?
• What will happen with the signatures?
• How will signers' information be used?

Make the requested action specific.

For example:

We ask the city transportation department to install a marked pedestrian crossing and evaluate traffic-calming measures at the intersection of Oak Street and 12th Avenue.

is clearer than:

Make our neighborhood safer.

Explain the reason for the request

Provide enough information for potential signers to understand:

• What the issue is
• Why the requested change is being proposed
• Who may be affected
• What evidence supports the request
• What important tradeoffs or uncertainties exist

Avoid exaggerating benefits or consequences simply to increase signature totals.

Make sure the recipient can actually act

Before beginning the drive, confirm that the person or institution receiving the petition has authority over the requested action.

If authority is divided among several agencies or organizations, determine whether:

• The petition should be directed to more than one body
• A different process is required
• The request should be revised

Governmental petitions

For a governmental petition, procedural compliance is essential.

Before collecting signatures, obtain current official instructions.

Confirm:

• Required number of signatures
• Who is eligible to sign
• Whether signers must be registered voters
• Required address or district information
• Whether official petition sheets are required
• Whether electronic signatures are permitted
• Whether circulators must meet specific requirements
• Whether signatures must be witnessed, verified, or notarized
• The filing deadline
• Where and how the petition must be filed
• What happens after submission

Requirements vary, so do not rely on general advocacy instructions in place of the official rules.

Build in a reasonable signature margin

Some submitted signatures may be rejected because a signer:

• Is not eligible
• Provided incomplete required information
• Signed more than once
• Signed outside the required district
• Did not meet another legal requirement

If the process requires a minimum number of valid signatures, collecting more than the minimum can reduce the risk that routine invalidations leave the petition below the threshold.

The appropriate margin depends on the rules, previous validation rates, available time, and organizer capacity.

Do not treat a fixed percentage, such as 50 percent more, as a universal rule.

Keep records

Preserve copies of petition forms, submission records, instructions, and other required documentation when permitted.

Protect personal information in accordance with applicable law and the petition process.

Non-governmental petitions

Non-governmental petitions usually allow more flexibility, but organizers should still establish clear procedures.

Decide:

• Who may sign
• What information will be collected
• Whether anonymous signatures are permitted
• Whether signatures will be publicly displayed
• How duplicate or false entries will be handled
• When the petition will close
• How it will be delivered
• Whether signers will receive follow-up information

Protect signer privacy

A petition may collect:

• Names
• Addresses
• Email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Geographic or eligibility information

Collect only the information you actually need.

Tell potential signers:

• What information will be public
• What information will be submitted to the recipient
• Whether information will be used for future advocacy or communications
• Whether they can opt out of future contact

Do not automatically add petition signers to email, text, fundraising, or membership lists without clear notice and appropriate consent.

Paper and online petitions

Petition drives may use:

• Paper forms
• Online petition platforms
• An organization's own website or form
• A combination of paper and digital methods

The method should match the petition's legal requirements and participation needs.

Consider:

• Accessibility
• Language access
• Digital access
• Identity verification
• Duplicate signatures
• Privacy
• Data security

A digital signature may be useful for a non-governmental petition but may not satisfy a legally regulated petition process.

Always follow the applicable official rules.

Publicizing a petition

Let people know that the petition exists and explain how they can review and sign it.

Outreach may include:

• Community meetings
• Email
• Text messaging
• Social media
• Websites
• Community newsletters
• Flyers
• Public events
• Partner organizations
• Multilingual outreach

The purpose should be to inform people and make participation possible, not simply to increase the visibility or prestige of the organization conducting the petition.

Present the petition appropriately

When the petition closes, present it through the process appropriate to the recipient.

This may involve:

• Formal filing
• A scheduled meeting
• Public testimony
• Delivery during a public meeting
• Electronic submission
• Another authorized method

Public presentation may be appropriate when the issue is of legitimate community interest.

Do not assume that a dramatic event, press conference, or demonstration is necessary for every petition.

Getting people to sign the petition

Decide how many signatures you need

For a governmental petition, follow the legally required threshold.

For a non-governmental petition, determine a realistic goal based on:

• Community size
• Time available
• Participation levels
• The purpose of the petition
• Organizer capacity

Do not treat the raw number of signatures as the only measure of success.

Recruit and prepare petition circulators

People collecting signatures should understand:

• The petition's purpose
• The exact request
• Eligibility requirements
• Required signer information
• Privacy expectations
• How to answer common questions
• Where and when forms must be returned

For regulated governmental petitions, circulators should receive the official instructions governing signature collection.

Choose locations responsibly

Possible locations may include:

• Community events
• Libraries
• Campuses
• Neighborhood meetings
• Public sidewalks or plazas where permitted
• Partner organizations
• Other places where the organizer has permission to collect signatures

Check property rules, event rules, local law, and permit requirements where applicable.

Do not assume that a shopping center, courthouse, post office, school, business, or other location automatically allows solicitation or signature collection.

Approach people respectfully

A simple introduction might be:

Hi. We're collecting signatures asking the city to evaluate pedestrian-safety improvements at Oak Street and 12th Avenue. Would you like to read the petition?

Give the person a reasonable opportunity to review the petition before asking them to sign.

Do not pressure people to sign immediately.

Use neutral forms of address

Avoid assuming a person's gender or preferred title.

A simple “Excuse me” or “Hello” is generally sufficient.

Do not require eye contact or a particular social style

Petition circulators should be polite and clear, but there is no need to require smiling, eye contact, particular clothing, or another specific interpersonal style.

People communicate differently because of culture, disability, personality, or circumstance.

What matters is that the interaction is respectful and the information is accurate.

Explain rather than persuade at all costs

Tell potential signers:

• What the petition asks for
• Who will receive it
• What signing means
• What information they must provide
• Whether that information will be public

Answer questions accurately.

If you do not know an answer, say so rather than guessing.

Respect a decision not to sign

If someone says no, thank them and move on.

Do not:

• Argue
• Shame them
• Repeatedly ask
• Imply that refusing to sign means they oppose the community

If someone wants more information, you may provide a website, handout, report, or another resource.

Make the petition accessible

Consider whether people can participate regardless of:

• Disability
• Primary language
• Literacy level
• Digital access
• Transportation
• Work schedules

Useful approaches may include:

• Plain-language explanations
• Translated materials
• Accessible electronic forms
• Multiple ways to review the petition
• Assistance completing required information when legally permitted

Verify and organize signatures

Before submission, review the petition according to the applicable rules.

For a governmental petition, this may include checking:

• Completeness
• Duplicate signatures
• Required addresses
• District information
• Circulator certifications
• Required form versions

Do not alter a person's signature or required signer information unless the applicable rules specifically permit correction.

Present petition results accurately

When reporting the results, distinguish:

• Total signatures collected
• Signatures submitted
• Signatures verified as valid, when applicable
• Geographic distribution, when relevant

Do not inflate totals or count duplicate, invalid, fictitious, or unverified signatures as though they were valid support.

Follow up after submission

Ask:

• Was the petition received?
• What happens next?
• When will the petition be reviewed?
• Will there be a public meeting, hearing, or response?
• Is additional information needed?

If the request is not granted, determine why before deciding what to do next.

Possible next steps may include:

• Providing additional information
• Meeting with decision-makers
• Participating in a hearing
• Revising the proposal
• Using an appeal or administrative process
• Continuing lawful advocacy through another appropriate method

Do not frame follow-up as continuing pressure indefinitely until the recipient gives you what you want.

Reassess the evidence, response, community priorities, and available options before choosing the next step.

Evaluate the petition drive

After the petition is complete, ask:

• Did people understand what they were signing?
• Did the petition reach people directly affected by the issue?
• Were signature-collection methods accessible?
• Were privacy expectations clear?
• Were the signatures reported accurately?
• Did the petition reach the right decision-maker?
• Did it contribute useful information to the decision process?
• What should be done differently next time?

In Summary

A petition is an organized way for people to express support for a specific request or position.

Some governmental petitions are part of formal legal processes, while non-governmental petitions generally communicate support without legally requiring the recipient to act.

Begin by identifying exactly what change you want and who has authority to make it.

For governmental petitions, verify and follow the current official requirements carefully.

Do not rely on general petition advice in place of jurisdiction-specific legal rules.

Explain the petition clearly enough that people can make an informed decision about whether to sign.

Collect only the personal information you need and be transparent about how it will be used.

Make participation accessible through appropriate language, disability, paper, and digital options.

Train petition circulators in both the issue and the applicable rules.

Respect people who decline to sign.

Report signature totals accurately and do not treat petition signers as automatically representative of the entire community.

Present the petition through the appropriate formal or organizational process.

Follow up to understand what happens next and consider additional advocacy only when it remains appropriate.

Finally, remember that the purpose of a petition is not simply to collect the largest possible number of names, publicize an organization, or create political pressure.

It is to give people a clear and organized way to express support for a specific request and bring that request to the decision-makers who can act on it.

Example # 1: The Recall Petition

Example #2: 100% for Kids Campaign Petition

Tool # 1: A finance report petition

___You know what a petition is.

___You know what a petition drive is.

___You know the various types of petition.

___You understand why you should conduct a petition drive.

___You know when to conduct a petition drive.

___You know how to conduct a petition drive.

___You know the differences between governmental and non-governmental petitions.

___You know how to get people to sign the petition.

• What is legislative advocacy?

• Why should you engage in legislative advocacy?

• When should you engage in legislative advocacy?

• How do you organize for legislative advocacy?

• How do you approach legislators and other policymakers?

Legislative advocacy can help communities bring evidence, lived experience, priorities, and proposed solutions into decisions about laws, budgets, public programs, and government policy.

Effective advocacy usually requires more than contacting lawmakers when a vote is approaching.

Organizations may need clear goals, reliable internal communication, accurate information, meaningful participation by people affected, and an understanding of how the legislative process works.

The purpose is not simply to build political power or gain personal access to influential people.

It is to participate effectively and transparently in public decision-making.

What is legislative advocacy?

Legislative advocacy is organized activity intended to inform, influence, support, oppose, or improve decisions made by legislative bodies and other public policymakers.

It may involve:

• Proposed legislation
• Amendments
• Public budgets
• Appropriations
• Resolutions
• Local ordinances
• Legislative oversight
• Implementation of existing laws
• Other public-policy decisions

Legislative advocacy can include direct communication with lawmakers and staff as well as broader community participation.

Activities might include:

• Meeting with legislators or legislative staff
• Providing testimony
• Submitting written comments or policy briefs
• Sharing research and community experience
• Recommending legislative language
• Participating in budget processes
• Organizing constituents to communicate their own views
• Monitoring bills, amendments, hearings, votes, and implementation

Legislative advocacy and lobbying

Some legislative advocacy may legally qualify as lobbying.

The legal definition of lobbying depends on the jurisdiction, organization, funding source, and activity involved.

Organizations should understand any applicable:

• Lobbying registration requirements
• Reporting requirements
• Ethics rules
• Gift restrictions
• Grant restrictions
• Tax rules
• Internal organizational policies

Nonprofit organizations should not assume that all legislative advocacy is prohibited.

Different nonprofit organizations and funding arrangements are subject to different rules, so obtain current guidance appropriate to your organization.

What forms can legislative support take?

Legislation with funding

A bill may authorize or appropriate funding for a program, service, research activity, infrastructure project, or other public purpose.

Advocacy may involve:

• Creating a new funding stream
• Increasing existing funding
• Preserving funding that has been proposed for reduction
• Changing how funds may be used

Legislation that establishes policy

A bill may establish responsibilities, rights, eligibility standards, program requirements, or other public policy even when it does not include new funding.

Advocates should consider whether implementation resources will also be necessary.

Regulation or statutory requirements

Legislation may establish standards affecting:

• Health
• Education
• Housing
• Employment
• Transportation
• Environmental protection
• Civil rights
• Public benefits
• Other community concerns

Avoid describing people receiving public assistance or other services primarily according to whether they have moved “off the rolls.”

Evaluate policies according to outcomes such as economic stability, access to health care, employment, education, housing, safety, and other relevant measures.

Local ordinances and policies

Legislative advocacy also occurs at the local level.

City councils, county commissions, school boards, and other local bodies may consider:

• Public-health measures
• Land-use decisions
• Housing policy
• Transportation
• Education
• Public safety
• Environmental requirements
• Local budgets

Budget advocacy

Budgets often determine whether policies can actually be implemented.

Budget advocacy may involve:

• Requesting funding for a program or service
• Opposing a proposed reduction
• Recommending how funding should be distributed
• Asking for implementation or enforcement resources
• Examining whether existing spending is producing intended results

Public support and oversight

Legislators may also:

• Hold hearings
• Request information from agencies
• Convene working groups
• Ask for investigations or audits
• Communicate publicly about an issue
• Connect constituents with appropriate government offices

These actions can matter even when new legislation is not immediately available.

Why should you engage in legislative advocacy?

Some goals require legislative action

Legislative bodies have authority over many decisions that other organizations cannot make.

Depending on the jurisdiction, these may include:

• Creating or amending laws
• Raising or appropriating public revenue
• Establishing programs
• Setting statutory requirements
• Conducting oversight
• Confirming appointments

Advocacy can bring missing information into the process

Lawmakers and staff may understand legislative procedures, legal constraints, budgets, and political conditions.

Community members, service providers, researchers, practitioners, and people directly affected may hold other forms of knowledge.

Legislative advocacy can bring those perspectives together.

Advocacy can clarify your own goals

Preparing for legislative advocacy often requires an organization to answer:

• What exactly needs to change?
• What evidence supports that change?
• Who would be affected?
• What implementation challenges exist?
• What would the proposal cost?
• What alternatives should be considered?

The goal should be clarity, not forcing every participant to repeat identical language.

Coalition members may support a shared objective while explaining it from different perspectives.

Advocacy can increase public understanding

Hearings, public meetings, reports, news coverage, community events, and other forms of communication may help people understand what a proposal would do and why it matters.

Publicity should not be treated as an end in itself.

The purpose is to improve public participation and understanding.

Advocacy can build useful working relationships

Ongoing communication with lawmakers, staff, agencies, and other organizations can make future policy discussions more informed and efficient.

The goal should be to become a reliable contributor to the policy process rather than to accumulate influential personal contacts.

When should you engage in legislative advocacy?

Legislative advocacy can occur throughout the policy process, but some moments require particular attention.

When legislation is being developed

Early participation may allow advocates to:

• Identify unintended consequences
• Recommend alternatives
• Suggest language
• Provide evidence
• Include perspectives that were missing

Before committee action or a vote

If a bill or amendment is approaching a decision point, make sure relevant lawmakers have accurate information and understand the specific action you are requesting.

During the budget process

Budget advocacy is most useful before funding decisions are finalized.

Learn the budget calendar and identify:

• Executive budget proposals
• Committee hearings
• Appropriations deadlines
• Amendment opportunities
• Final votes

When new evidence or community experience emerges

New research, data, implementation problems, community experience, or changing conditions may justify renewed legislative attention.

Do not use heightened public attention merely as an opportunity to present your organization as the authority on the issue.

Use the opportunity to contribute reliable information and include people affected by the issue.

When a vote may be close

Additional constituent communication may be useful when lawmakers are still deciding how to vote.

Encourage people to communicate their own views rather than generating a flood of identical scripted messages.

After a decision

Legislative advocacy does not necessarily end when a bill passes or fails.

Depending on the outcome, advocates may need to:

• Monitor implementation
• Participate in rulemaking
• Evaluate results
• Recommend amendments
• Address funding gaps
• Prepare for future legislative sessions

How do you organize for legislative advocacy?

Effective advocacy generally requires:

• Relevant participants
• Clear coordination
• Accurate research
• A specific policy objective
• Reliable communication
• Appropriate public communication
• Continued evaluation

Step 1: Bring together relevant participants

Include people and organizations whose knowledge, responsibilities, authority, or experience are relevant.

Depending on the issue, participants may include:

• People directly affected
• Community organizations
• Service providers
• Researchers
• Professional associations
• Worker organizations
• Businesses
• Disability organizations
• Faith communities
• Youth organizations
• Other relevant groups

People directly affected

People affected by a proposed law or budget should not be treated primarily as “beneficiaries,” voting blocs, personal stories, or evidence that an advocacy group has political strength.

When practical, involve them in:

• Defining the issue
• Developing policy proposals
• Reviewing evidence
• Meeting with lawmakers
• Giving testimony if they choose
• Evaluating outcomes

Legislators who already support the issue

Supportive lawmakers may help explain legislative procedure, sponsor or amend legislation, request hearings, or identify other relevant decision-makers.

Do not assume a legislator will support an issue because of a disability, family circumstance, identity, or personal experience.

Ask about the person's actual position.

People with relevant technical knowledge

Researchers, practitioners, policy specialists, attorneys, economists, and other people with specialized expertise may help evaluate:

• Evidence
• Legal requirements
• Implementation
• Costs
• Unintended consequences

Professional status should not automatically make someone's perspective more important than lived or community experience.

Community leaders and organizations

Community organizations may bring relationships, practical experience, organizing capacity, or knowledge of local conditions.

Do not select participants simply because their status, fame, wealth, or public recognition may impress legislators.

Step 2: Create a coordination structure

Determine how the advocacy effort will:

• Make decisions
• Communicate
• Respond to time-sensitive developments
• Approve public statements
• Resolve disagreements
• Assign responsibilities

Coordination can be handled by:

• A staff member
• A steering committee
• A coalition leadership group
• Another structure appropriate to the organization

A coordinator may need authority to respond quickly, but the process should also establish what decisions require broader participation.

Avoid concentrating major strategic decisions in one person simply for speed.

Step 3: Do the research

Understand:

• The problem
• Relevant data
• Research evidence
• Existing law
• Current legislation
• Budget implications
• Implementation responsibilities
• Community experience
• Possible alternatives

Understand competing arguments

Learn why people or organizations disagree with your proposal.

Ask:

• Are they relying on different evidence?
• Do they identify a cost or implementation problem you missed?
• Are they applying different values or priorities?
• Are there factual misunderstandings?
• Are there legitimate unintended consequences?

Do not study competing arguments only so that you can produce point-by-point rebuttals.

If another argument reveals an important weakness in your proposal, revise the proposal when appropriate.

Be honest about uncertainty

Do not exaggerate favorable evidence or hide information that complicates your position.

Distinguish:

• Established findings
• Estimates
• Predictions
• Assumptions
• Values or policy preferences

Trust is easier to maintain when advocates are willing to acknowledge limitations.

Understand the legislative process

Identify:

• Relevant committees
• Sponsors and cosponsors
• Committee chairs
• Hearing schedules
• Amendment deadlines
• Budget committees
• Floor-vote procedures
• Executive approval or veto procedures
• Implementation agencies

Use current official legislative sources rather than relying on informal descriptions of the process.

Step 4: Define the policy request

Be specific about what you want.

The request might involve:

• A particular bill
• An amendment
• Legislative language
• A budget amount
• A hearing
• Oversight
• A local ordinance
• Another concrete legislative action

Explain:

• What problem the proposal addresses
• What the proposal would do
• Who would be affected
• What evidence supports it
• What it would cost
• How it would be implemented
• What important tradeoffs exist

Shared goal does not require identical language

Coalition participants should understand the common policy objective.

They do not necessarily have to use exactly the same script.

Different participants may explain the same objective through:

• Lived experience
• Research
• Professional practice
• Community priorities
• Fiscal analysis

Drafting legislative language

Advocates may provide suggested legislative language.

However, drafting legislation requires attention to:

• Existing law
• Defined terms
• Enforcement
• Funding
• Administrative authority
• Conflicts with other statutes
• Implementation

Work with legislative counsel, attorneys, agency staff, or other qualified drafters when appropriate.

Do not assume that advocates' draft language will necessarily be more effective than language prepared by legislative professionals.

Step 5: Create a reliable communication system

Legislative developments can move quickly.

Participants need a reliable way to receive accurate information and know when action is needed.

Communication options may include:

• Email
• Text or messaging systems
• Group collaboration platforms
• Phone
• Websites
• Newsletters
• Other accessible channels

Do not assume one technology works for everyone.

Consider:

• Disability access
• Language
• Internet access
• Mobile access
• Communication preferences
• Privacy
• Urgency

Maintain accurate information

Designate responsibility for verifying:

• Bill numbers
• Hearing dates
• Vote schedules
• Amendments
• Contact information
• Advocacy materials

Avoid distributing unverified legislative alerts simply because the issue is urgent.

Create a feedback process

Participants should be able to report:

• What lawmakers or staff said
• Questions they were asked
• New developments
• Concerns from community members
• Results of advocacy activities

Use this information to improve strategy rather than simply measuring how many calls or messages were sent.

Step 6: Communicate with the public and news organizations

Public communication may help explain a legislative issue and make participation easier.

Possible channels include:

• News organizations
• Community media
• Websites
• Social media
• Newsletters
• Public meetings
• Reports
• Opinion pieces

Journalists should not be treated as advocacy partners whose role is to provide favorable coverage.

Provide accurate information, appropriate sources, and opportunities to ask questions.

Respect editorial independence.

Step 7: Take a long-term but sustainable view

Legislative change can take time.

A proposal may require:

• More than one legislative session
• Additional research
• Revision
• New funding
• Administrative implementation
• Continued oversight

Persistence can matter.

However, advocacy does not need to continue forever in the same form.

Periodically ask:

• Is this still the right policy goal?
• Has the evidence changed?
• Has the problem changed?
• Are people directly affected still supporting this approach?
• Is continued legislative advocacy the best use of available resources?
• Has implementation become the more important focus?

A successful policy may eventually need routine institutional oversight rather than permanent advocacy by the original coalition.

How do you approach legislators and other policymakers?

Identify the right people

Depending on the issue, relevant contacts may include:

• Your own elected representatives
• Bill sponsors
• Committee members
• Committee chairs
• Budget or appropriations members
• Legislative staff
• Leadership offices
• Agency staff responsible for implementation

Use current official directories and legislative information.

Legislative staff are important participants

Staff may:

• Research legislation
• Draft or review policy
• Analyze budgets
• Review constituent correspondence
• Prepare lawmakers for hearings and votes
• Coordinate meetings

Treat staff members as policy professionals rather than simply as pathways to the elected official.

Use appropriate communication channels

Offices may accept:

• Meetings
• Email
• Official web forms
• Phone calls
• Public testimony
• Virtual meetings
• District office hours
• Postal mail

Follow the office's current procedures.

Personal recognition by the legislator is not required for your concern to deserve consideration.

Respect personal boundaries

Build professional working relationships through official or mutually agreed channels.

Do not seek private contact primarily because access may increase your influence.

Organize constituent participation appropriately

Constituents may:

• Attend scheduled meetings
• Participate in hearings
• Send individual messages
• Join a coordinated meeting
• Provide testimony
• Participate in public forums

A large group can demonstrate that an issue concerns many people.

Do not use group size to intimidate staff or lawmakers.

Office visits should be scheduled or conducted according to applicable public-access procedures.

Let people directly affected speak for themselves

Personal experience can help lawmakers understand how policy operates in practice.

When people directly affected want to participate, support them in telling their own stories.

Do not treat people primarily as persuasive examples designed to “put a face” on a stigmatized category.

Avoid labels such as:

• “Welfare recipients”
• “AIDS patients”
• “The homeless”

Use person-centered, specific language appropriate to the context.

Participation should be voluntary, and people should understand any privacy implications of meetings, testimony, media coverage, or public records.

Site visits can provide useful context

Inviting policymakers or staff to observe a program, neighborhood, facility, or service may help them understand:

• Physical conditions
• Implementation barriers
• Program operations
• Community experience

Arrange visits with the knowledge and consent of the people or organizations involved.

Protect privacy and confidentiality.

Educational briefings can be useful

Advocates may organize:

• Issue briefings
• Listening sessions
• Community forums
• Research presentations
• Site visits

Make clear whether the event is informational, advocacy-oriented, public, private, or open to news coverage.

Hiring professional lobbying assistance

Some organizations may hire a lobbyist or government-relations professional.

Before doing so, consider:

• Applicable registration requirements
• Cost
• Relevant experience
• Conflicts of interest
• Reporting requirements
• Who the professional represents
• How community participants will remain involved

Professional access should supplement rather than replace community participation.

Approach policymakers with a clear request

Policymakers should be able to understand quickly:

• Who you are
• Whom you represent
• What issue you are discussing
• What action you want
• Why you recommend it

Useful requests might include:

• Sponsor a bill
• Support an amendment
• Vote for or against legislation
• Fund a particular budget item
• Hold a hearing
• Request agency information
• Review implementation
• Meet with affected community members

Include bill numbers, budget line items, hearing dates, or other identifying information when available.

Bring useful material

Depending on the issue, you may provide:

• A short policy brief
• Proposed amendment language
• Fiscal information
• Research
• Local data
• Implementation examples
• Written testimony

Do not overwhelm staff with unnecessary material.

Explain the consequences of the policy

Explain how the proposed action may affect:

• Constituents
• People directly affected
• Public budgets
• Services
• Workers
• Businesses
• Agencies
• Communities

Use accurate numbers where available.

Do not imply that legislators should support a policy primarily because doing so will help them win reelection, gain publicity, or take credit for a popular outcome.

Constituents may appropriately hold lawmakers accountable

Constituents may:

• Ask how lawmakers plan to vote
• Review public voting records
• Communicate support or opposition
• Consider legislative records when voting

This is part of democratic accountability.

It need not be communicated as a personal threat.

Avoid artificial message volume

Coordinated advocacy can demonstrate organized concern, but a high volume of identical phone calls, emails, or scripts may provide less useful information than individual messages explaining:

• Why the issue matters
• How the person is affected
• What action they want

Encourage people to understand the issue and communicate in their own words.

Maintain constructive communication after the vote

Continue communication when it serves a useful purpose, regardless of whether a legislator supported your position.

You may:

• Thank the office for its time
• Provide requested information
• Ask for an explanation of the vote
• Discuss implementation
• Identify areas of future agreement
• Correct misunderstandings

Do not assume that every relationship must become a friendship or permanent alliance.

Professional, respectful communication is sufficient.

Evaluate your legislative advocacy

After a campaign or legislative session, ask:

• Did we define the policy goal clearly?
• Was our evidence accurate?
• Were people directly affected meaningfully involved?
• Did we understand competing arguments?
• Did we accurately represent community support?
• Were our communication methods accessible?
• Did we respect legal and ethical requirements?
• Did lawmakers understand what we were asking for?
• What changed because of the effort?
• What should we do differently next time?

In Summary

Legislative advocacy is organized participation in decisions about laws, budgets, public programs, and government policy.

Effective advocacy begins with a clear policy objective and an understanding of which legislative or public body has authority to act.

Build participation around relevant knowledge, experience, responsibility, and community connection rather than prestige, celebrity, or political influence alone.

Include people directly affected as meaningful participants rather than treating them primarily as beneficiaries, voting blocs, or persuasive stories.

Create a clear coordination structure and establish how decisions will be made.

Research the issue carefully, understand arguments for and against the proposal, acknowledge uncertainty, and revise your position when credible evidence warrants it.

Develop a clear, feasible request and explain its likely benefits, costs, implementation needs, and unintended consequences.

Use communication methods that are current, reliable, accessible, and appropriate to the people involved.

Communicate with news organizations and the public to improve understanding and participation rather than simply to generate favorable publicity.

Use official or mutually agreed channels when communicating with legislators and staff.

Treat legislative staff as substantive policy professionals.

Explain how policies affect constituents and communities, but do not base the case primarily on lawmakers' electoral or reputational self-interest.

Constituents may appropriately monitor votes and consider legislative records when voting, but advocacy does not need to take the form of personal threats.

Encourage people to communicate their own views rather than manufacturing large volumes of identical messages.

Legislative change may require sustained effort, but advocacy does not need to continue forever in the same form.

Reassess goals, evidence, community priorities, implementation, and organizational capacity over time.

Finally, remember that successful legislative advocacy is not simply about becoming a powerful organization or gaining access to influential people.

It is about bringing reliable evidence, lived experience, community priorities, and practical policy options into public decisions in a transparent and accountable way.

Lawmaker's support

___a bill with funding attached

___a bill with regulations that benefits target audience

___a bill that makes issues legit

___local ordinance

___budget advocacy

___simple political, intellectual, and moral support

___link with other contacts

Reasons to engage in such

___to gain powerful allies

___to create positive publicity

___to lend focus to your issues

___it is an effective way to bolster a cause

How to organize

___get as many people involved as possible

___be competent of various aspects

___make all goals clearly understood

___network

___be patient

Tool: Preparing an Elevator Speech for Advocacy

This tool helps community members create a short, powerful message—an elevator speech—that clearly states who they are, the issue they care about, and what action they want. It’s designed to be delivered in 30–60 seconds to a legislator, policymaker, funder, or stakeholder anytime, anywhere.

Download Here: Elevator Speech (PDF) 

• Why are working relationships with legislators and staff important?

• Who are legislators and legislative staff?

• Whom should you communicate with?

• What do we mean by developing a working relationship?

• How do you make initial contact?

• How do you maintain constructive working relationships?

Legislative advocacy often works best when communication with lawmakers and their staff does not begin only when a crisis or important vote occurs.

Community organizations can benefit from having reliable professional contacts who understand their work, know how to reach them, and trust them to provide accurate information.

These relationships should not be based on trading favors, campaign support, gifts, personal influence, or privileged access.

A strong working relationship is built through:

• Accurate information
• Clear communication
• Respect for roles and boundaries
• Follow-through
• Transparency
• Meaningful participation by people affected by policy

Why are working relationships with legislators and staff important?

Legislators and their staff make decisions across many policy areas and receive information from many sources.

A reliable working relationship can make it easier to:

• Share relevant research and community experience
• Ask questions about legislation or budgets
• Understand how the legislative process works
• Identify the person responsible for a particular issue
• Raise implementation concerns
• Request meetings, hearings, amendments, or other appropriate action
• Correct misunderstandings
• Respond when policy developments occur quickly

Relationships should improve communication, not create unequal access

Public officials have responsibilities to constituents and the public whether or not they know an advocate personally.

A working relationship may make communication more efficient, but familiarity should not be treated as a substitute for:

• Evidence
• Public process
• Ethics rules
• Transparency
• Fair treatment of other constituents

The goal is not to become the person whose calls receive special treatment.

The goal is to become a reliable source of relevant information and community perspective.

Avoid a favor-exchange model

Legislative relationships should not be treated as an informal system in which one side provides political support, publicity, campaign assistance, gifts, or personal favors in exchange for policy action.

Advocates may appropriately:

• Thank officials for work they support
• Provide information
• Participate in public events
• Invite officials to community meetings
• Share constituent perspectives

But policy requests should stand on their own merits rather than depending on a history of reciprocal favors.

Who are legislators and legislative staff?

In the United States, legislative authority exists at federal, state, and local levels.

The specific structures, titles, committee systems, staffing arrangements, and responsibilities differ by jurisdiction.

Use current official sources to identify:

• Your representatives
• Relevant committees
• Committee chairs and members
• Legislative staff
• District offices
• Hearing and meeting schedules
• Contact procedures

Congress

The U.S. Congress consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Members of the House represent congressional districts and serve two-year terms.

Each state has two U.S. Senators, who serve six-year terms.

Avoid relying on fixed population figures for congressional districts in an evergreen resource because district populations change following each census and reapportionment.

State legislatures

State legislative structures vary considerably.

Most states have two legislative chambers, while Nebraska has a single-chamber legislature.

Differences among states may include:

• Length of legislative sessions
• Compensation
• Staffing
• Committee structure
• District size
• Office locations
• Rules for introducing and advancing legislation

Check current state legislative sources rather than relying on fixed examples of salary, office arrangements, or staffing.

Local legislative and policymaking bodies

Depending on the community, local policymakers may include:

• City council members
• County commissioners
• Mayors
• School board members
• Town or municipal governing bodies
• Planning or zoning boards
• Public-health boards
• Other elected or appointed bodies

Titles and authority vary by jurisdiction.

Legislative staff are important policy professionals

Legislative staff may:

• Research policy
• Analyze legislation
• Prepare lawmakers for hearings or votes
• Draft or review legislation
• Analyze budgets
• Review constituent correspondence
• Arrange meetings
• Conduct oversight work
• Communicate with agencies and stakeholders

Staff roles vary significantly among offices.

Avoid assuming that junior staff members are inexperienced, unimportant, poorly paid, or merely temporary.

Likewise, do not assume that a chief of staff or other senior aide is automatically the best contact for every issue.

Find the staff member who handles your issue

When contacting an office, ask who works on the relevant policy area.

Depending on the issue, this might be:

• A legislative assistant
• A policy advisor
• A committee staff member
• A district representative
• A constituent-services staff member
• Another member of the office

The most useful contact is often the person whose responsibilities match the issue, regardless of job title or seniority.

Whom should you communicate with?

You do not need a personal relationship with every legislator or staff member.

Prioritize contacts according to the policy decision and the person's actual role.

Your own representatives

Constituents have a direct reason to communicate with the officials who represent them.

Contact them when:

• Legislation affects you or your community
• You have relevant information
• You want to request legislative action
• You need clarification about a vote or policy
• You want to share implementation concerns

Do not frame this relationship primarily around the idea that officials need your vote or that your social network can help or hurt their reelection.

Legislators who represent people directly affected

An organization may also need to communicate with legislators whose districts include people affected by the issue.

Be transparent about:

• Whom your organization serves or represents
• Whether the people involved are constituents
• What authority you have to speak on their behalf

Whenever practical, support people directly affected in communicating their own views.

Committee members and staff

Committees often play an important role in:

• Holding hearings
• Reviewing bills
• Amending legislation
• Making recommendations
• Reviewing budgets

Identify the committee and staff actually responsible for the issue rather than assuming that a particular committee has the same authority in every legislature.

Sponsors and other lawmakers working on the issue

A bill sponsor, committee member, caucus member, or other lawmaker may already be working on the issue.

Such officials may be useful contacts because of their policy role, not simply because they are politically powerful.

Do not infer support from personal experience

Avoid assuming that a legislator will support a policy because:

• They have a disability
• A relative experienced a health problem
• They belong to a particular demographic group
• They have a particular professional or family background

Ask about the person's actual policy position.

What do we mean by developing a working relationship?

A working relationship is a professional pattern of communication in which each side knows how to reach the other and has reason to trust that the information exchanged will be accurate and respectful.

It does not require friendship.

A useful working relationship may mean:

• Staff know what organization you represent
• You know which staff member handles your issue
• The office responds through its normal procedures
• You provide accurate information when asked
• You understand the office's role and limitations
• Both sides can discuss disagreement professionally
• The office may contact you when relevant community information is needed

Recognition is not the goal

An advocate does not need to be personally recognized by the legislator or have calls immediately returned in order to participate effectively.

Legislative offices serve many constituents and organizations.

The more important questions are:

• Can you reach the appropriate office?
• Does your information reach the person who works on the issue?
• Is your request clear?
• Is the office able to respond appropriately?

Avoid treating responsiveness as evidence of “clout”

A lawmaker's willingness to respond should not depend on how much political power, money, prestige, or constituency pressure an organization can demonstrate.

Advocacy should not aim to become the group an office responds to because it fears political consequences.

Being a reliable source is valuable

An organization may become a useful source when it consistently provides:

• Accurate information
• Current data
• Relevant community experience
• Clear sourcing
• Timely responses
• Honest acknowledgment of uncertainty

Do not try to become the only source an office relies upon.

Policymakers should hear from multiple relevant perspectives.

How do you make initial contact?

Use official channels

Current communication options may include:

• Email
• Official web forms
• Phone calls
• District office meetings
• Capitol office meetings
• Virtual meetings
• Public office hours
• Legislative hearings
• Public community events

Check the office's current procedures.

Request a meeting

When requesting a meeting, briefly explain:

• Who you are
• Whether you are a constituent
• What organization you represent, if any
• What issue you want to discuss
• Why the issue is relevant to that office

A meeting with the staff member responsible for the issue may be just as useful as a meeting with the legislator.

Do not treat staff meetings merely as a step toward gaining access to the elected official.

Do not rely on private access

Avoid contacting officials through:

• Private home phone numbers
• Family members
• Personal social events
• Uninvited visits to private locations
• Other non-public channels

unless the official has explicitly invited that form of contact.

A personal connection may provide a consensual introduction, but it should not be used to bypass normal access procedures or create implicit pressure.

Public events can create appropriate opportunities for introduction

At an official town hall, community forum, legislative event, or other public setting, it may be appropriate to introduce yourself briefly.

Respect the setting and the official's time.

If a longer conversation is needed, request a follow-up meeting through the office.

Be prepared

Before the meeting, know:

• The specific bill, budget item, policy, or issue
• What action you are requesting
• The strongest relevant evidence
• Important competing arguments
• How the issue affects constituents or the community

Bring a concise written summary when useful.

Do not assume the office is uninformed

Community advocates may have specialized knowledge or direct experience that legislators and staff do not have.

Legislators and staff may also have:

• Relevant policy expertise
• Personal experience
• Legal knowledge
• Budget information
• Information from other affected groups

Approach the conversation as an exchange of information rather than assuming you alone represent “reality.”

Invite legislators and staff to learn directly from the community

Site visits, listening sessions, program tours, and community meetings may help policymakers understand how a policy operates in practice.

Invitations should have a clear substantive purpose.

For example:

• Observe a program
• See an accessibility barrier
• Meet participants
• Discuss implementation
• Hear community priorities
• Review local data

Avoid using honors as leverage

Do not give awards, special recognition, speaking roles, or favorable publicity primarily as a way to increase the likelihood of future political support.

Recognition may be appropriate when genuine and consistent with organizational policy, but it should not function as an implied exchange.

Let people directly affected speak for themselves

When people affected by a policy want to participate, provide opportunities for them to explain their own experiences.

Participation should be voluntary.

Consider:

• Privacy
• Public-record implications
• Media presence
• Accessibility
• Interpretation
• Retaliation risk

Avoid labels such as “welfare recipients,” “teen parents,” or other terms that reduce people to one circumstance.

Other ways to make contact

Public testimony

Legislative hearings and public-comment processes can provide formal ways to share evidence and experience.

Testify because the information is relevant to the decision, not primarily to become recognizable to legislators.

Legislative briefings

A briefing can help lawmakers and staff understand:

• Research
• Community experience
• Policy options
• Fiscal implications
• Implementation concerns

Make clear who organized the briefing and what policy position, if any, the organizers are advocating.

Introductions through mutual contacts

A mutual contact may make a transparent introduction when all involved are comfortable with it.

The introduction should make communication easier, not imply that the advocate deserves special treatment because of whom they know.

How do you maintain constructive working relationships?

Keep contact relevant

Follow up when you have:

• New evidence
• A policy development
• Requested information
• An implementation update
• A new constituent concern
• A meaningful next step

Communication does not need to occur merely so the office remembers your name.

Use appropriate frequency

Contact the office often enough to provide useful information and respond to developments, but not so often that communication becomes repetitive or burdensome.

Follow the office's stated preferences when possible.

Have substantive conversations

Listen as well as speak.

Ask:

• What concerns does the office have?
• What information would be useful?
• What implementation challenges do they see?
• What other perspectives should be considered?
• What steps are procedurally possible?

Ask for procedural or policy guidance when appropriate

Legislators and staff may be able to explain:

• Legislative timelines
• Committee procedures
• Budget constraints
• Amendment procedures
• Which office or agency has authority

Their advice may be useful, but advocates should still make independent decisions based on their organization's goals, evidence, community input, and ethical responsibilities.

Be accurate and reliable

When providing information:

• Verify important facts
• Provide sources
• Distinguish evidence from opinion
• Correct mistakes promptly
• Say when you do not know something
• Follow through when you promise additional information

Reliability is one of the strongest foundations for a long-term working relationship.

Thank officials appropriately

It is appropriate to thank a legislator or staff member for:

• Meeting with community members
• Providing information
• Participating in a hearing
• Taking an action you support
• Helping resolve a constituent issue

Be specific about what you appreciated.

Avoid exaggerated praise intended primarily to improve the official's public image or create an obligation for future support.

Keep advocacy and campaign activity appropriately separate

Organizations and individuals may have separate rights and responsibilities regarding elections, campaign contributions, endorsements, and legislative advocacy.

Do not treat:

• Campaign donations
• Fundraising attendance
• Election volunteering
• Endorsements

as the normal price of obtaining access or favorable legislative action.

Follow applicable election, ethics, lobbying, nonprofit, and organizational rules.

Respect disagreement

A legislator may decline your request for substantive, political, budgetary, procedural, or legal reasons.

You may disagree strongly and continue advocating for a different outcome.

Maintain professional communication when useful.

Do not assume that supporting the relationship requires withholding legitimate criticism or avoiding public disagreement.

Do not protect officials from accountability merely to preserve access

The source of a good working relationship should be trust in accurate communication, not a promise that advocates will avoid criticism that might place an official in a difficult position.

If an official's action warrants public criticism, advocates may say so honestly and respectfully.

Do not overuse the relationship

Reserve requests for matters that are relevant to the office's responsibilities.

Respect:

• Staff time
• Office procedures
• Scheduling limits
• Legal constraints
• Privacy and personal boundaries

Evaluate the relationship periodically

Ask:

• Are we providing accurate and useful information?
• Are we communicating with the staff who actually work on the issue?
• Are people directly affected able to participate?
• Are we respecting professional boundaries?
• Are we relying too heavily on one office or one personal connection?
• Are we accurately representing whom we speak for?
• Are our interactions transparent and consistent with ethics and lobbying rules?
• Can we disagree with the office without fearing the loss of access?

In Summary

Constructive working relationships with legislators and legislative staff can make advocacy more informed, timely, and effective.

These relationships should be professional rather than transactional.

Their purpose is to improve communication and understanding, not to create special access through favors, campaign support, gifts, social connections, or political leverage.

Identify the lawmakers, committees, and staff members who actually have responsibility for your issue.

Use current official sources because legislative structures, staff roles, district populations, committee responsibilities, and contact procedures change.

Treat legislative staff as substantive policy professionals.

Use official or mutually agreed communication channels and respect officials' personal boundaries.

Come to meetings with a clear issue, a specific request, and accurate supporting information.

Do not assume that lawmakers or staff are uninformed simply because you have specialized knowledge.

Invite policymakers to learn directly from communities when it has a genuine substantive purpose and when the people involved consent.

Help people directly affected speak for themselves rather than using them primarily as persuasive examples.

Maintain contact when you have useful information or a meaningful reason to communicate, not merely to keep your name familiar.

Be accurate, acknowledge uncertainty, correct mistakes, and follow through.

Thank officials appropriately, but do not use awards, publicity, campaign donations, or election work as informal currency for legislative support.

Respect disagreement and continue to hold public officials accountable when necessary.

Finally, remember that the strongest legislative relationship is not one in which a lawmaker “owes” your organization something.

It is one in which both the office and the community know that communication will be accurate, respectful, transparent, and focused on the public decisions at hand.

Why are relationships important?

You understand that:

___Politics is personal.

___Legislators and aides, like others, respond to those they know and trust.

___Relationships give you access to legislators and their aides.

___Relationships foster a web of mutual favors and support.

Who are legislators and their aides?

___You understand the structure of Congress: House and Senate, and the differences in their functions and length of terms.

___You understand the structure of your particular state legislature.

___You know which committees are important to your issue and to all issues, and who their chairs, important members, and staffers are.

___You know what legislative aides do.

___You've identified the legislators and aides who have power or influence over your issue.

Whom do you need to develop a relationship with?

___You've identified the legislators and aides who need you.

___You've identified the legislators that you need.

What do we mean by developing a relationship?

You understand the ideal goals of relationships with legislators and aides, and are working to accomplish one or more of the following:

___The legislator and staff recognize your name and will take or return your calls.

___The legislator will speak to you in person.

___The legislator's office thinks first of you when it needs information on your issue.

___The legislator will support your issue when you need it.

___The legislator's office will call to alert you to crises, situations where you need to mobilize support, opportunities, etc.

___The legislator is willing to visit your organization or community.

___You are willing to help the legislator and her staff when needed.

___You have enough of a personal relationship with at least one person in the office (ideally the legislator) that you can spend a few minutes chatting about family, sports, movies, etc.

How do you meet legislators and aides?

You know how to do the following:

___Make a formal appointment to meet in the district or in the capital.

___Invite the legislator to visit your organization or community.

___Arrange a meeting between the legislator and a community group or a group of your organization's participants.

___Have an initial phone conversation with the legislator or aide.

___Testify at a legislative hearing or public comment session.

___Organize a legislative briefing or other similar event.

___Get an introduction from a mutual acquaintance.

___Introduce yourself to legislators and aides at functions where they're present.

How do you establish and maintain relationships?

___You keep contact after your initial meeting.

___You attend fundraisers and other events honoring the legislator.

___You have real conversations with legislators and their aides.

___You ask for and follow legislators' and aides' advice.

___You establish yourself as an absolutely reliable source of information.

___You thank legislators for their help at every opportunity.

___You respect legislators' and aides' limitations and priorities.

___You don't abuse the relationship.

• Why support voter registration and participation?

• Who can help people register?

• How do you conduct nonpartisan voter-registration activities?

• How do you encourage registration respectfully?

• How can organizations support voter participation?

• What should 501(c)(3) organizations know?

Voting rights in the United States have expanded over time through constitutional amendments, federal and state laws, court decisions, organizing, and civic participation.

The 15th Amendment prohibited denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

The 19th Amendment prohibited denying or abridging the right to vote on account of sex.

The 24th Amendment prohibited poll taxes in federal elections, and the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 established important federal protections against racial discrimination in voting.

These legal changes did not eliminate every barrier to political participation.

Registration requirements, language barriers, disability access, transportation, identification requirements, criminal-history rules, deadlines, and other conditions can still affect whether eligible people are able to participate.

Because election laws and procedures change, voter-registration information should always be checked against current official state or local election sources.

Why support voter registration and participation?

Voter registration helps eligible people participate in elections and public decision-making.

Nonpartisan registration efforts can:

• Make participation easier for eligible voters
• Help people understand registration procedures
• Reduce administrative and informational barriers
• Reach people who may have had limited access to election information
• Help people update registrations after moving or changing their names
• Connect eligible voters with official election resources
• Support broader civic participation

Voter registration should not be treated primarily as political leverage

The purpose of a nonpartisan voter-registration program should be to enable eligible people to participate, not to create a voting bloc that will pressure elected officials to support an organization's policy agenda.

People who register through an organization remain free to:

• Vote or not vote
• Support any eligible candidate
• Choose a political party where party registration applies
• Take positions different from those of the organization that assisted them

Who can help people register?

Voter-registration procedures vary by state and jurisdiction.

Organizations should verify current requirements with the appropriate state or local election authority before conducting registration activities.

Depending on the jurisdiction, rules may address:

• Who may distribute or collect registration forms
• Whether volunteers must receive training
• Whether completed forms may be collected by a third party
• Deadlines for submitting completed applications
• Registration-drive reporting requirements
• Required notices
• Rules concerning personal information

Do not assume that procedures used in another state or during an earlier election still apply.

The National Voter Registration Act

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, often called the NVRA or “Motor Voter” law, requires covered states to provide voter-registration opportunities through certain government offices.

These include:

• Motor-vehicle agencies
• Public-assistance offices
• Offices providing state-funded programs primarily serving people with disabilities
• Armed Forces recruitment offices
• Other offices designated by the state

Agencies covered by these requirements must provide voter-registration services in a nonpartisan manner.

Community and nonprofit organizations

Community organizations may also provide nonpartisan voter-registration information or assistance when permitted by applicable law.

Organizations should determine:

• What activities are permitted
• Whether registration forms may be collected
• What records may or must be maintained
• What deadlines apply
• What nonprofit, grant, or organizational rules apply

How do you conduct nonpartisan voter-registration activities?

Designate responsibility

Identify a person or team responsible for:

• Monitoring current election rules
• Training staff and volunteers
• Maintaining accurate information
• Obtaining approved registration materials
• Following submission requirements
• Protecting personal information

Use current official election information

Before beginning, verify:

• Registration eligibility
• Registration deadlines
• Online-registration options
• Mail-registration options
• In-person registration
• Same-day or Election Day registration, where available
• Pre-registration rules for people under 18, where available
• Procedures for updating an address or name
• State-specific identification requirements

Election procedures can change between election cycles.

Use state and local election offices or current federal election resources rather than relying on an old printed list.

Use the current National Mail Voter Registration Form when appropriate

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission maintains the National Mail Voter Registration Form and its state-specific instructions.

Not every state uses the form in exactly the same way.

Follow the current instructions for the voter's state rather than relying on an old list of state exceptions.

Recognize online registration

Many states now allow eligible people to register or update their registration online.

Where online registration is available, organizations may direct people to the official state registration system.

Avoid sending people to unofficial sites when an official election-office service is available.

Set appropriate goals

Goals can help an organization evaluate whether people are being reached effectively.

Possible measures include:

• Number of people offered registration information
• Number of people receiving assistance
• Number of languages in which information is available
• Accessibility improvements
• Number of community locations reached
• Whether people received accurate information before applicable deadlines

Do not judge the success of the program only by how many people complete a registration form.

Some people may already be registered, may need only to update their information, may be ineligible, or may simply choose not to register.

Be careful when choosing communities for outreach

Organizations may reasonably prioritize communities they serve, places with limited access to registration information, or populations relevant to their charitable mission.

For organizations required to remain nonpartisan, outreach decisions should not be designed to favor or oppose a candidate or political party.

Make registration opportunities visible

Organizations may let people know that nonpartisan voter-registration assistance is available through:

• Websites
• Email
• Text messaging
• Social media
• Newsletters
• Posters or flyers
• Community events
• Program intake or orientation
• Public announcements

Make clear that assistance is available regardless of political preference.

Do not pressure people during intake or service delivery

When voter registration is offered in connection with health, social, educational, or other services, people should understand that their decision about registration will not affect the services or benefits they receive.

Registration assistance should remain separate from eligibility decisions for unrelated programs.

Protect people's information

Registration forms may contain sensitive identifying information.

Follow applicable law and official procedures for:

• Handling completed forms
• Transmitting forms
• Storing information
• Disposing of unnecessary copies
• Limiting staff or volunteer access

Do not automatically create a contact list from registrants

Do not collect or retain someone's phone number, email address, or other contact information for future organizational outreach simply because the person registered to vote.

If you want permission to send future reminders or civic-participation information, ask separately and explain:

• What information will be retained
• How it will be used
• Who will have access to it
• How the person can stop future communications

Make registration accessible

Consider barriers involving:

• Disability
• Language
• Literacy
• Digital access
• Transportation
• Work schedules
• Lack of information about registration procedures

Appropriate assistance may include:

• Accessible electronic materials
• Plain-language instructions
• Translated materials
• Interpretation
• Assistance completing forms when permitted
• Information about online, mail, and in-person registration options

Use official translated election materials when available.

How do you encourage registration respectfully?

The goal should be to provide people with information and an opportunity to register, not to overcome every reason someone gives for declining.

A simple invitation may be:

We have nonpartisan voter-registration information available today. Would you like to check your registration or learn how to register?

If the person says no, respect the answer.

Ask about barriers without making assumptions

Some people may want to register but face a practical barrier.

Others may not want to discuss why they are not registered.

Instead of assuming someone is apathetic, lazy, uninformed, unable to read, undocumented, or disqualified because of criminal history, offer useful information generally and allow the person to decide whether to ask for help.

Common questions

People may ask:

• Am I eligible?
• Where do I register?
• Can I register online?
• What is the deadline?
• How do I update my address?
• Can I register before I turn 18?
• How does a criminal conviction affect my voting rights?
• What identification will I need?
• Where can I find my polling place?

Staff and volunteers should use current official election information when answering these questions.

If you do not know the answer, say so and direct the person to the appropriate election office rather than guessing.

Criminal-history rules vary

Do not tell someone that a felony conviction automatically means they cannot register or vote.

Voting-rights restoration rules vary substantially by state and individual circumstances.

Direct people to current official information for their state.

Do not investigate someone's eligibility yourself

A person may have private reasons for asking questions about eligibility.

Do not pressure someone to disclose:

• Citizenship or immigration information
• Criminal history
• Disability information
• Other sensitive personal circumstances

unless the information is required by the official registration process and you are authorized to assist with it.

Conducting a voter-registration drive

A voter-registration drive may concentrate outreach during a particular period or at particular community events.

Choose timing carefully

Check current registration deadlines before setting drive dates.

Some states allow registration close to or on Election Day, while others require registration earlier.

Do not rely on a general rule such as “10 days” or “30 days.”

Choose outreach locations appropriately

Registration activities may occur at:

• Community events
• Campuses
• Libraries
• Community centers
• Faith-community events
• Neighborhood gatherings
• Organizational service locations
• Other places where organizers have permission

Follow applicable property, solicitation, and election rules.

Train volunteers

Volunteers should understand:

• That the effort is nonpartisan
• Current registration procedures
• How to handle completed applications
• Privacy requirements
• How to provide disability and language access
• Where to refer questions they cannot answer
• What they may and may not say about candidates or political parties

Avoid incentives unless you have verified that they are lawful and appropriate

Election laws can regulate incentives connected with electoral participation.

Do not offer money, gifts, prizes, or other benefits conditioned on registering or voting without first confirming that the practice is lawful and consistent with any nonprofit or program rules that apply.

Supporting voter participation after registration

Registration is only one part of participation.

Organizations may also provide nonpartisan information about how eligible voters can cast a ballot.

Procedures differ by state and election.

Provide current voting information

Depending on the jurisdiction, useful information may include:

• Election dates
• Polling locations
• Voting hours
• Early in-person voting
• Mail or absentee voting
• Identification requirements
• Accessible voting options
• Ballot-tracking services
• Procedures for correcting certain ballot problems when available

Do not publish a fixed nationwide description of absentee or early-voting rules.

State procedures change, and voters should be directed to current official information.

Reduce practical barriers

Nonpartisan assistance may include:

• Explaining available voting methods
• Providing accessible election information
• Providing language assistance
• Helping people locate official election resources
• Providing lawful nonpartisan transportation assistance

Any assistance connected with a nonpartisan voter-participation effort should be provided without regard to whom the person supports.

Do not tell people how to vote

A nonpartisan registration or turnout effort should not:

• Endorse candidates
• Oppose candidates
• Recommend a political party
• Provide voting assistance only to people with preferred political views
• Ask how someone plans to vote as a condition of receiving assistance

Nonpartisan voter education

Some organizations also provide election information.

Depending on applicable law and organizational rules, this may include:

• Links to official sample ballots
• Election dates and deadlines
• Information about where and how to vote
• Nonpartisan candidate forums
• Nonpartisan voter guides
• Explanations of ballot measures

Organizations subject to nonpartisanship requirements should establish neutral criteria and avoid selecting information in a way designed to favor or oppose a candidate.

Follow up carefully

If an organization helped submit a registration application, it may be useful to explain how the individual can independently check registration status through an official election source.

Avoid promising that submitting a form guarantees successful registration.

Election officials determine whether an application is accepted.

Obtain consent for reminders

If the organization wants to send election reminders, obtain appropriate contact permission rather than automatically retaining information from registration activities.

Reminders should remain nonpartisan when the organization is conducting a nonpartisan voter-participation program.

What should 501(c)(3) organizations know?

Section 501(c)(3) organizations may conduct nonpartisan voter-registration, voter-education, and get-out-the-vote activities.

They are prohibited from directly or indirectly participating or intervening in a political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate for public office.

This prohibition applies to federal, state, and local candidate elections.

Examples of generally permissible nonpartisan activities

Depending on how they are conducted, a 501(c)(3) organization may be able to:

• Conduct nonpartisan voter-registration drives
• Conduct nonpartisan get-out-the-vote activities
• Provide neutral information about voting procedures
• Conduct certain nonpartisan candidate forums
• Provide certain nonpartisan voter-education materials
• Continue appropriate public-policy advocacy

Prohibited candidate campaign intervention

A 501(c)(3) organization may not use organizational resources to support or oppose a candidate for public office.

Prohibited activity may include:

• Candidate endorsements
• Contributions to candidate campaigns
• Organizational statements supporting or opposing candidates
• Providing organizational resources to one candidate on preferential terms
• Biased voter-registration or turnout activity designed to favor or oppose candidates

Nonpartisan does not merely mean avoiding candidate names

The overall facts and circumstances matter.

A communication may create candidate-related concerns even without explicitly stating “vote for” or “vote against” someone.

Organizations should review current IRS guidance when election-related activities may intersect with candidate campaigns.

Public-policy advocacy may continue

A 501(c)(3) organization may continue to take positions on public-policy issues, including issues that candidates also discuss, as long as the organization's communication does not intervene in a candidate campaign.

Lobbying and political campaign intervention are different legal concepts and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Private foundations may have additional restrictions

Private foundations can be subject to additional federal tax rules concerning expenditures for voter-registration drives.

Organizations should determine their tax classification and review current legal guidance before relying on general voter-participation advice.

Obtain current legal guidance when necessary

Election law, tax law, grant conditions, state law, and organizational policies can interact in complicated ways.

When there is uncertainty, consult:

• Current IRS guidance
• The appropriate election authority
• Organizational counsel
• Other qualified legal guidance

General advocacy materials should not be treated as individualized legal advice.

Evaluate your voter-participation work

After an activity or election cycle, ask:

• Was the information accurate and current?
• Was the effort genuinely nonpartisan?
• Were people able to participate without pressure?
• Were disability and language needs considered?
• Was personal information handled appropriately?
• Did staff and volunteers understand the rules?
• Were people referred to official sources when questions exceeded our knowledge?
• What barriers did people report?
• What should be improved before the next election?

In Summary

Voter registration can help eligible people participate in elections and public decision-making.

Registration procedures, deadlines, eligibility rules, and voting options vary by state and can change over time.

Use current official election sources rather than relying on old nationwide lists.

Many states provide online registration, and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission maintains the current National Mail Voter Registration Form and state-specific instructions.

Community organizations may support registration by providing accurate information, making forms and official resources accessible, assisting people when permitted, and reducing practical barriers.

Registration activities should respect people's privacy, autonomy, disability access, language needs, and right to decline.

Do not assume why someone is not registered or pressure them to disclose sensitive information.

Criminal-history voting rules differ substantially by state, so do not make blanket statements about eligibility.

When conducting registration drives, train volunteers, verify current deadlines and procedures, and maintain clear nonpartisan standards.

After registration, organizations may provide accurate nonpartisan information about early voting, mail voting, Election Day procedures, accessibility, and other options available in the voter's jurisdiction.

Do not retain people's contact information for future advocacy simply because they registered; obtain appropriate consent for follow-up communications.

Section 501(c)(3) organizations may conduct nonpartisan voter-registration and get-out-the-vote activities but may not intervene in candidate campaigns.

Because election and tax rules can be highly fact-specific, organizations should use current official guidance and obtain qualified legal advice when necessary.

Finally, voter-registration work should not be treated primarily as a way to strengthen an organization's political influence or build a dependable voting bloc.

Its purpose is to help eligible people understand their options and participate in the democratic process according to their own choices.

Example #1: Registering College Students as Voters in New York City

• Thousands of promotional, non-partisan buttons, pens and brochures were distributed this fall on CUNY campuses.
• Gannett Outdoor provided space at selected bus shelters to display posters about Project Vote.
• For the first time this fall, every CUNY freshman application and transfer guide included a tear-out registration form so that all students applying to CUNY, whether they enrolled or not, had the opportunity to register to vote.
• Student newspapers have been provided by the University with reproductions of the voter registration form for publication.
• By mid-fall, CUNY students will be able to request a voter registration form through the CUNY home page on the Internet.
• For students who are not yet U.S. citizens, citizenship information brochures were distributed throughout the University.
• CUNY-TV has produced a half-hour citizenship show, which was aired and distributed to the campuses.
• Voter Registration Coordinators at every CUNY college are working with student government and other student organizations to plan and promote campus voter registration activities.

Example #2: Kids Voting

Example #3: A Get-Out-The-Vote Campaign in Kansas City

___Your organization wants to register voters because:

• It helps to build a strong democracy
• It increases the power of your organization to influence policies
• It increases your involvement
• It helps people to realize that they can have an impact
• It can be educational and self-esteem-building

___You have found out if you need to be deputized before you can resister voters by contacting your Election Commissioner or County Clerk.

___If you are not allowed to register voters, you have considered other things to do:

• Encourage people to vote
• Help people obtain and fill out the forms
• Participate in get-out-the-vote campaigns

___Your organization has decided to register voters.

___You have appointed someone to coordinate the activities.

___You have set voter registration goals

___You know what the local registration rules are.

___You have plenty of forms for clients to fill out

___You know how to use the forms

___You have publicized the fact that you are registering voters

___You were clear that your registration policies are nonpartisan

___You have extended your help to those who needed it

___You have kept a record of the names and phone numbers of people who you registered .

___You have decided to run a voter registration drive

___You have chosen a day or days to hold the registration drive

___You have decided where and how to reach your audience

___You have recruited volunteers to help who understand that the effort is nonpartisan

___You want to persuade people to vote by employing some of the following strategies :

• Making it easy for people to register and vote
• Finding out why people aren't registered
• Find a way to respond to reasons for not voting
• Offer incentives to people who register

___You have thanked the people you have talked to.

___You have considered the possible ways to get people who have registered to actually vote.

Tool #1: List of commonly asked questions about registration to vote and their answers

How do I register if I am homeless? All you need to do is name a place where you "live" --a shelter, train or bus station, park, doorway, etc. --and a mailing address (for example, a soup kitchen or a relative who would be willing to accept mail for you).
How do I know if I am a U.S. citizen? You are a citizen if you were born in the continental United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. You can also become a citizen through naturalization. Holders of green cards are not eligible to vote.
If I register, am I permanently registered? Yes, unless you move or change your name. Even if you move to a different apartment within the same building you must re-register to vote. As of January 1, 1995, federal and state laws prohibit registered voters from being removed from the rolls for not voting.
If I vote in a party's primary election, do I have to vote for that party in the general election? No. In the general election (no matter what party you chose to enroll in), you have the right to vote for the candidate of any party--or even write in your own candidate.
Can I vote absentee? Generally, all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who will be residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote absentee in any election for Federal office. In addition, all members of the Armed Forces, members of the Merchant Marine, and both groups' family members, who are U.S. citizens, may vote absentee in state and local elections.

The following questions have different answers depending on where you live. Check with local election officials for their answers.

• How will I know if I'm registered?
• Where do I vote?
• How do I get an absentee ballot?
• Do I need an I.D. card to vote?
• Can I register to vote at age 17 if I will be 18 on election day?
• Do I have to choose a political party when I register?

The above material was adapted from work done by Human SERVE.

Tool #2: Form for names and addresses

When running a registration drive, it's a good idea to keep a list of people who have registered, in order to be sure they have received their registration material and/or as part of a GOTV campaign. Use the form below to record names and addresses.

                 Names and Addresses of Newly Registered Voters 

Tool #3: Get-Out-The-Vote Phone Bank

Adopt this for you (partisan) GOTV efforts. Thanks to Anastasia Nagy for allowing the use of this Tool.

Get-Out-the-Vote Phone Bank

[Ask for the name on the card.]

Hello, Mr./Ms. ____________________. My name is ____________, and I am a friend of (insert candidate's name), who is running for City Council in your district.

(Candidate's name) asked me to call you today because her race is very close. She wants to be sure that her supporters get to the polls this Tuesday.

Do you need a ride to your polling place?

If yes, say:

Someone will contact you to set up a time to pick you up. I know (candidate's name) will appreciate your support!

If no, then say:

Don't forget that the polls are open until 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, and remember to go vote! I know (candidate's name) will appreciate your support!

[Politely terminate call.]

• What is a public hearing?

• How is a public hearing different from a public meeting or community forum?

• Why participate in or request a public hearing?

• When should you participate?

• How do you prepare to testify?

• How do you organize a community forum or listening session?

• What should happen during and after the event?

What is a public hearing?

A public hearing is generally a formal process through which a government body or other authorized decision-maker receives testimony or comments from members of the public about a proposed action, policy, regulation, budget, permit, project, or other matter.

Depending on the governing law or procedure, a public hearing may:

• Be legally required
• Be held at the discretion of the responsible public body
• Be part of a formal public-comment period
• Create an official record of testimony and comments
• Include written as well as oral testimony
• Follow specific requirements for notice, registration, timing, procedure, or recordkeeping

The rules for a public hearing depend on the law, jurisdiction, public body, and type of decision involved.

Before participating, check the current official notice and procedures.

How is a public hearing different from a public meeting or community forum?

A formal public hearing should be distinguished from a public meeting, listening session, town hall, community forum, panel discussion, or similar event.

A formal hearing generally provides an official opportunity to submit testimony or comments related to a government decision.

A community forum or public meeting is usually more flexible and may be designed for:

• Two-way discussion
• Questions and answers
• Information sharing
• Listening to community concerns
• Identifying priorities
• Exploring possible solutions

If your organization is creating its own event and does not have official authority to conduct a governmental hearing, describe the event accurately.

Terms such as “community forum,” “listening session,” or “public meeting” may be more appropriate than “public hearing.”

Do not assume every issue has only two sides

Public issues may involve several perspectives, proposed solutions, areas of agreement, and areas of uncertainty.

Avoid structuring an event automatically as:

Our side versus the opposition.

Instead, determine which perspectives are relevant to the decision and how people can participate fairly.

Why participate in or request a public hearing?

Public hearings can provide important opportunities to bring community knowledge into public decision-making.

You may participate:

• To explain how a proposed action may affect people or communities
• To provide research, local data, or other evidence
• To describe implementation problems
• To support, oppose, or recommend changes to a proposal
• To identify unintended consequences
• To offer an alternative
• To ask decision-makers to consider information that may be missing
• To place information or concerns into the formal public record

Public hearings should not be treated primarily as publicity events

A hearing may receive news coverage or increase public attention to an issue.

Those effects can be useful, but they should not become the primary purpose of participation.

The central goal should be to contribute relevant information to the decision-making process.

When should you participate in a public hearing?

Participate when the hearing concerns a matter relevant to you, your organization, or the community and you have information or experience that could help inform the decision.

Timing may be particularly important:

• Before a vote
• During development of a regulation or policy
• During a budget process
• Before approval of a permit or project
• When implementation problems have emerged
• When a public body is formally requesting community input

Check the official notice

Determine:

• The date and time
• Whether the hearing is in person, virtual, or hybrid
• Whether advance registration is required
• How speakers are selected or ordered
• How much speaking time is available
• Whether written comments are accepted
• Whether exhibits or supporting documents may be submitted
• The deadline for written submissions
• What accessibility accommodations are available
• Whether interpretation or language assistance can be requested
• Whether the hearing will be recorded or livestreamed

Do not assume that every hearing gives speakers two to five minutes or uses a first-come, first-served sign-up process.

How do you get an opportunity to testify?

Follow the process established by the body conducting the hearing.

Depending on the hearing, this may involve:

• Registering through an online form
• Signing up at the meeting
• Requesting a speaking slot in advance
• Submitting written testimony
• Participating during a designated public-comment period
• Being invited as a subject-matter witness

If speaking slots are limited, ask the organizers what alternatives are available.

For example:

• Submit written testimony
• Provide supporting documents
• Ask whether another hearing will occur
• Participate in the general public-comment process

Do not seek special placement through political connections

Use the established participation process.

Do not rely on political allies, personal relationships, persistence intended to make staff uncomfortable, or other forms of private leverage to obtain preferential access.

If you believe the public process itself is unfair or inaccessible, document the concern and use an appropriate administrative, legal, public-comment, or oversight process.

Establish your goals before preparing testimony

Ask:

• What decision is being considered?
• What do we want the decision-making body to understand?
• What action are we asking it to take?
• What evidence supports our request?
• What important tradeoffs should we acknowledge?
• What information or experience can we contribute that may otherwise be missing?

A hearing should not be approached primarily as an opportunity to make your organization look influential, gain volunteers, or defeat another group in public.

Find appropriate people to provide testimony

Useful testimony may come from:

• People directly affected by the issue
• Community members
• Researchers
• Practitioners
• Program staff
• Business or worker representatives
• People with relevant technical knowledge
• Other people with direct knowledge of the issue

Do not choose people simply because their story will be emotionally compelling

People directly affected should not be treated as persuasive props.

When someone wants to share personal experience:

• Make participation voluntary
• Explain the purpose of the hearing
• Explain whether testimony becomes part of a public record
• Explain whether the hearing will be recorded or livestreamed
• Discuss privacy and possible public exposure
• Let the person decide what details to disclose

Do not rewrite a person's experience simply to make it fit an advocacy message.

Lived experience and technical evidence can complement one another

A first-person account can show how a policy operates in someone's life.

Research, administrative data, financial analysis, or other evidence can help establish:

• Scale
• Cost
• Patterns
• Outcomes
• Likely effects

One type of evidence does not automatically replace the other.

Avoid demographic tokenism

A hearing may benefit from participation by people with different experiences and perspectives.

However, do not recruit speakers simply to display a particular racial, ethnic, age, income, disability, or other demographic “cross-section.”

Meaningful representation depends on whether people have relevant experience and a genuine opportunity to participate, not on how the speaker lineup appears.

Prepare speakers

Preparation can help a speaker communicate clearly within the hearing's rules.

Encourage speakers to:

• Identify their connection to the issue
• State the main point early
• Use accurate information
• Explain personal experience in their own words
• Identify the requested action
• Stay within the time limit
• Distinguish facts from predictions or opinions

Speakers may practice aloud, time themselves, or prepare notes.

They do not need to memorize their remarks or perform a particular speaking style.

The goal is clear and accurate communication, not to “blow away” the audience.

Protect privacy and well-being

Public testimony can remain accessible long after the hearing ends.

Depending on the process, testimony may appear in:

• Public meeting recordings
• Government websites
• Meeting minutes
• Hearing transcripts
• Public-records responses
• News coverage
• Social media

Speakers should decide what personal information they are comfortable placing into the public record.

Support people discussing traumatic experiences

Some hearings involve experiences of:

• Violence
• Discrimination
• Abuse
• Serious illness
• Housing instability
• Other difficult experiences

Do not pressure someone to disclose trauma because the testimony may be persuasive.

If a person chooses to testify, ask what support would be useful before, during, or after the hearing.

Support should be based on the person's preferences rather than automatically assigning counseling or another intervention.

If you are organizing your own event, choose the format that fits the purpose

If the goal is discussion, learning, questions and answers, or collaborative problem-solving, consider organizing a:

• Community forum
• Listening session
• Town hall
• Panel discussion
• Public meeting

Use the term “public hearing” when the event actually functions as a hearing or when that is the official term used by the responsible body.

Choose the date, location, and participation options

Consider:

• Work and school schedules
• Public transportation
• Parking
• Physical accessibility
• Virtual participation
• Childcare or caregiving responsibilities
• Language access
• Community safety
• Religious or cultural calendars
• Availability of accessible technology

Do not choose a room based on how attendance will look in news photographs.

Choose a space that is appropriate for the expected number of participants and supports safe, comfortable, and accessible participation.

Consider the community affected

Holding an event near the community most affected may make participation easier.

The reason should be access and relevance, not a desire to produce greater emotional impact.

Accessibility

Plan accessibility from the beginning rather than treating it as an optional addition.

Depending on the event and legal requirements, accessibility may involve:

• Step-free physical access
• Accessible seating
• Accessible restrooms
• Sign-language interpretation
• Real-time captioning
• Assistive-listening systems
• Accessible electronic documents
• Large-print materials
• Screen-reader-compatible information
• Accessible virtual participation

Tell participants how to request accommodations and provide reasonable advance notice when necessary.

Language access

Consider whether interpretation, translated notices, or translated materials are needed to allow meaningful community participation.

Applicable legal requirements vary according to the public body, program, funding, and jurisdiction.

Use qualified interpreters when interpretation is needed rather than relying automatically on family members or other participants.

Choose a facilitator for a community forum

A facilitator can help:

• Explain the purpose and process
• Keep the event on schedule
• Make participation opportunities clear
• Enforce agreed rules consistently
• Redirect personal attacks
• Clarify questions
• Make space for relevant perspectives

For a formal governmental hearing, the presiding official or staff will generally control the procedure.

Fairness does not always mean dividing time into two equal “sides”

A complex public issue may involve more than two perspectives.

Use participation rules that are:

• Clear
• Consistent
• Relevant to the event's purpose
• Designed to give participants a meaningful opportunity to contribute

Publicize the event accurately

Tell people:

• What the event is
• Who is organizing it
• What issue will be discussed
• Whether it is an official government hearing or an independently organized forum
• How people can participate
• Whether registration is required
• Whether written comments are accepted
• What accessibility or language assistance is available
• Whether the event will be recorded or livestreamed

Outreach may include:

• Government notices
• Community organizations
• Email
• Text messaging
• Websites
• Social media
• News organizations
• Community newsletters
• Flyers
• Multilingual outreach

Encourage authentic attendance, not audience staging

Encourage people who care about the issue to attend and participate.

It can be reassuring for speakers to see people who support them, particularly when they are sharing difficult experiences.

However, do not instruct supporters to:

• “Pack” the room to create an appearance of overwhelming support
• Applaud on cue
• Interrupt or intimidate speakers
• Ask planted questions designed mainly to embarrass another participant
• Disrupt testimony from people with different views

Attendance should demonstrate genuine public participation rather than stage-managed audience reaction.

At the public hearing

Be prepared

Know:

• The proposal
• Relevant evidence
• Important uncertainties
• Major competing arguments
• The action you are requesting

Preparation should help you answer questions accurately.

If you do not know an answer, say so and offer to provide reliable information later when appropriate.

Do not improvise facts simply to appear knowledgeable.

Follow the hearing procedure

Listen to the presiding officer's instructions.

Stay within the allotted time and use the participation method provided.

Strong disagreement is appropriate, but focus on:

• The proposal
• Evidence
• Effects
• Tradeoffs
• Alternatives

Avoid personal attacks on other speakers or decision-makers.

Listen as well as speak

Other participants may identify:

• Evidence you had not considered
• A legitimate implementation problem
• A different community experience
• An unintended consequence
• A possible compromise or alternative

A public hearing is not useful if advocates attend only to deliver a prepared message and ignore everything else that is said.

Document the hearing appropriately

If your organization is tracking the hearing, record information relevant to the issue, such as:

• Major arguments presented
• Questions raised by decision-makers
• New evidence
• Commitments or next steps
• Important implementation concerns

Do not focus primarily on which “prominent” people attended or attempt to infer political allegiance from attendance alone.

After the hearing

Follow up on substantive questions

Provide information that was requested during the hearing when appropriate.

Correct any significant factual mistake in your own testimony.

Monitor:

• The decision
• Additional hearings
• Written-comment deadlines
• Amendments
• Implementation

Support speakers when appropriate

Check with people who shared difficult personal experiences and ask whether they need any practical or emotional support.

Do not assume what kind of support they need.

Respect privacy and confidentiality after the event.

Communicate with news organizations accurately

If reporters ask about the hearing, explain:

• What your organization heard
• What evidence you believe is important
• What remains unresolved
• What action you are requesting

Do not describe the goal as putting favorable “spin” on the hearing.

Avoid selectively describing the event in a way that creates a misleading impression about testimony, attendance, disagreement, or the outcome.

Evaluate what you learned

Ask:

• Did we learn anything that changes our understanding?
• Was our evidence accurate?
• Did people directly affected have a meaningful opportunity to participate?
• Were accessibility and language needs addressed?
• Did our speakers understand the public nature of their testimony?
• Were important competing concerns taken seriously?
• What questions remain unanswered?
• What is the appropriate next step?

In Summary

A formal public hearing gives members of the public an opportunity to provide testimony or comments related to an official public decision.

A public hearing is different from a community forum, listening session, town hall, or other public meeting designed primarily for discussion.

Check the hearing's current rules before participating.

Learn how to register, how much time is available, whether written comments may be submitted, whether testimony becomes part of the public record, and what accessibility or language assistance is available.

Set a clear goal and identify the action you want the decision-making body to take.

Bring accurate evidence, relevant lived experience, and practical recommendations.

Support people directly affected in speaking for themselves when they choose to participate.

Do not recruit personal stories merely because they will be emotionally compelling.

Explain privacy and public-record implications before people share sensitive experiences.

If organizing your own event, choose the format that fits the purpose and describe it accurately.

Plan for accessibility, language needs, virtual participation, transportation, scheduling, and other barriers from the beginning.

Encourage genuine public participation rather than staging applause, packing the audience, planting hostile questions, or using political connections to obtain preferential access.

Listen to competing evidence and community experiences rather than treating the event simply as a contest between two sides.

After the hearing, follow up on substantive questions, monitor the decision, support participants where appropriate, and communicate accurately about what occurred.

Finally, the purpose of a public hearing is not simply to attract attention, make your organization look influential, or defeat an opponent in public.

It is to give decision-makers and community members a structured opportunity to place relevant evidence, experience, concerns, and recommendations into the public decision-making process.

Example: Interview with B.L. Hathaway

___You understand what a public hearing is.

Before the Public Hearing

___You have used your political connections, persuasion, and/or arrival time to get your name early in the agenda.

___You know what you want to accomplish with the public hearing.

___You have found and prepared people to testify.

___You have booked a location and set a time & date for the event, if you have control over it.

___You have made arrangements to ensure accessibility at the location.

___You have chosen a facilitator.

___You have publicized the event well.

___You have ensured that you will have a supportive audience present.

At the Public Hearing

___You prepared a brief introduction.

___You allowed each side to offer testimony.

___You took thorough notes.

After the Public Hearing

___You have offered your support to those testifying.

___You know how to deal with the news media.

___You have discussed the outcome with your staff.

• What is a public demonstration?

• What forms can a public demonstration take?

• Why might you organize a public demonstration?

• When might a public demonstration be appropriate?

• How do you organize a public demonstration?

• How do you plan for safety, accessibility, and legal requirements?

• What should happen after the demonstration?

What is a public demonstration?

A public demonstration is an organized public gathering or activity through which people express a position, concern, demand, value, or message.

Demonstrations may:

• Support a policy or community goal
• Protest a decision, policy, practice, or condition
• Express solidarity
• Call attention to an issue
• Request action from a government body, business, institution, or other decision-maker
• Commemorate an event or person
• Provide a visible opportunity for community participation

Public demonstrations have played important roles in labor organizing, civil-rights movements, peace movements, disability-rights advocacy, environmental advocacy, public-health activism, and many other forms of civic participation.

Demonstrations may be large or small.

Their significance does not depend only on the number of people who attend.

What forms can a public demonstration take?

The appropriate format depends on the purpose, location, participants, legal requirements, and safety considerations.

Marches

A march involves participants moving together along a planned route.

Marches can communicate public support, concern, remembrance, or protest.

Depending on the location, organizers may need permits, route approval, traffic coordination, or other authorization.

Rallies

A rally brings people together at a particular location for speeches, music, testimony, performances, symbolic activities, or other forms of expression.

A rally may accompany a march or occur on its own.

Vigils

A vigil is generally a peaceful gathering for remembrance, solidarity, reflection, mourning, witness, or advocacy.

Vigils may include:

• Silence
• Candles or other symbolic items where permitted
• Prayer or reflection
• Reading names
• Music
• Brief remarks

Picketing

Picketing usually involves people standing or walking near a workplace, business, institution, or other location while displaying signs or communicating a message.

Rules governing picketing can vary according to the location, labor law, property rights, court orders, permits, and other circumstances.

Organizers should understand the applicable rules before the activity begins.

Symbolic or creative demonstrations

Demonstrations may use:

• Art
• Music
• Theater
• Signs
• Visual displays
• Public readings
• Other symbolic activities

Creative expression can make an issue easier to understand, but ridicule or dehumanizing portrayals of people with different views are not necessary for effective advocacy.

Counter-demonstrations

A counter-demonstration expresses a different position from another demonstration or public event.

Counter-demonstrations should be planned with particular attention to:

• Safety
• Separation where appropriate
• Applicable permit requirements
• Communication with event officials
• De-escalation
• Avoiding interference with another group's lawful speech

The purpose should be to communicate your own position rather than prevent another group from being heard.

Civil disobedience and actions that may lead to arrest

Some advocacy movements have used civil disobedience – deliberate violation of a law or legal restriction as an act of protest.

Civil disobedience is different from an ordinary lawful public demonstration and can create significant legal, financial, employment, immigration, safety, or other consequences.

General demonstration-planning guidance should not tell participants that they are obligated to risk arrest or punishment in order for their actions to have moral value.

If organizers are considering conduct that may be unlawful or may lead to arrest:

• Obtain qualified legal advice
• Understand applicable laws and court orders
• Explain risks clearly to participants
• Make participation voluntary
• Provide lawful participation options for people who do not want to assume arrest risk
• Consider how arrest or detention could affect participants differently
• Avoid interfering with emergency access or creating unnecessary danger

Do not encourage people to trespass, obstruct traffic, block access, damage property, or interfere with law enforcement without understanding the applicable legal consequences.

Why might you organize a public demonstration?

To advocate for a specific action

A demonstration may ask a government body, institution, business, or other decision-maker to:

• Adopt a policy
• Change a policy
• Preserve a program or service
• Increase or restore funding
• Address a documented harm
• Investigate a concern
• Take another specific action

To express support or solidarity

People may demonstrate in support of:

• A community
• Workers
• A public program
• A policy
• People affected by an event or injustice
• Another group engaged in lawful advocacy

To protest a policy or condition

Demonstrations may provide a visible way to express disagreement with:

• Government action
• Institutional practices
• Workplace conditions
• Discrimination
• Environmental harm
• Other community concerns

To increase public awareness

A demonstration may bring attention to an issue that has received limited public discussion.

Public visibility can be useful, but attention should not be treated as the only measure of success.

To strengthen participation and solidarity

Participating in collective civic action may help people:

• Recognize that others share their concerns
• Build relationships
• Learn about the issue
• Become involved in other forms of civic participation

Organizers should avoid deliberately intensifying anger or fear simply to make participants easier to mobilize.

When might a public demonstration be appropriate?

A demonstration may be useful when public expression adds something that meetings, letters, testimony, petitions, or other advocacy methods do not.

Consider:

• What decision is being made
• Whether timing matters
• Whether public visibility could improve understanding
• Whether people directly affected want a public event
• Whether the demonstration is likely to advance the stated goal
• Whether another advocacy method would be more effective
• What legal, safety, financial, or accessibility requirements apply

Before an important public decision

A demonstration may be timed before:

• A legislative vote
• A budget decision
• A regulatory action
• A board decision
• Another public action that participants hope to influence

Make sure the requested action is clear enough that participants and decision-makers understand why the event is occurring.

In connection with a commemorative date or relevant event

A demonstration may coincide with a day or event that has a genuine connection to the issue.

Verify the date and meaning of commemorative events before using them in outreach materials.

When another group is demonstrating

A counter-demonstration may sometimes be appropriate.

Do not plan primarily around drawing news coverage away from another group or provoking confrontation.

Focus on communicating your own message safely and lawfully.

How do you organize a public demonstration?

Define the purpose

Before planning logistics, answer:

• What issue are we addressing?
• What do we want people to understand?
• What action are we requesting?
• Who has authority over that action?
• Who should be able to participate?
• What will happen after the demonstration?

Avoid goals such as simply becoming more famous, making another group look weak, or demonstrating that your organization is politically powerful.

Choose the format

Select the type of demonstration that fits the goal.

A march may be appropriate when movement between locations has symbolic or practical meaning.

A rally may work better when speeches, testimony, or performances are central.

A vigil may be more appropriate for remembrance or reflection.

A smaller gathering may be more useful than a large event when the issue is highly local or the intended audience is specific.

Build an organizing team

Assign responsibility for areas such as:

• Overall coordination
• Permits and legal requirements
• Accessibility
• Program
• Safety
• Participant communication
• Transportation
• Media communication
• Equipment
• Cleanup
• Follow-up

Check the law, permits, and site requirements

Rules for demonstrations differ by jurisdiction and location.

Depending on the activity, organizers may need to consider:

• Demonstration permits
• Parade or march permits
• Street or lane closures
• Sound-amplification rules
• Temporary structures
• Park or plaza rules
• Public-building restrictions
• Fire and occupancy rules
• Private-property permission
• Applicable court orders

Use current official information for the specific location.

Do not assume that a rule applying to one park, city, campus, or government building applies everywhere.

Coordinate road or traffic issues with the appropriate authorities

Participants should not attempt to perform traffic-control or law-enforcement functions unless they are legally authorized to do so.

If a march requires road closures or traffic changes, coordinate them through the appropriate permitting and public-safety processes.

Choose the location

Consider:

• Legal availability
• Accessibility
• Expected attendance
• Public transportation
• Parking
• Restrooms
• Emergency access
• Weather exposure
• Safety
• Whether the location has a meaningful relationship to the issue

Do not choose a site primarily because confrontation or visual drama is likely there.

Choose the date and time

Consider:

• The schedule of people you hope will participate
• Relevant decision dates
• Weather and seasonal conditions
• Public transportation
• School and work schedules
• Religious and cultural calendars
• Other major community events

Avoid assumptions about when “most people” are available.

Learn about the schedules of the communities you hope to involve.

Plan for accessibility

Accessibility should be considered at the beginning of the planning process.

Depending on the event and applicable requirements, consider:

• Step-free routes
• Accessible seating or rest areas
• Accessible restrooms
• Accessible transportation options
• Sign-language interpretation
• Real-time captioning
• Assistive-listening systems
• Accessible electronic information
• Large-print materials
• Screen-reader-compatible materials
• Language interpretation
• Accessible participation for people who cannot stand or march for long periods

Tell participants how to request accommodations.

Plan the program

Program elements may include:

• Speeches
• Personal testimony
• Music
• Art
• Prayer or reflection
• Readings
• Marching
• Symbolic activities
• Opportunities for participants to take a specific next step

Let people directly affected speak for themselves

People with lived experience may provide important knowledge about an issue.

Do not select them primarily because their experiences will create emotional impact.

Participation should be voluntary.

If speakers may disclose sensitive personal information, discuss:

• Privacy
• Media coverage
• Photography
• Livestreaming
• Social-media circulation
• Possible retaliation or unwanted attention

Celebrity participation is optional

A public figure may draw attention, but fame should not determine whose perspective matters.

Relevant expertise, community experience, and direct connection to the issue are generally more important than celebrity status.

Plan for safety

Consider foreseeable risks without assuming that every demonstration will become confrontational.

A safety plan may address:

• Severe weather
• Heat or cold
• Water and hydration
• Medical emergencies
• Crowd movement
• Lost children or separated participants
• Counter-demonstrations
• Traffic
• Accessible evacuation routes
• Emergency vehicles
• Communication failures

Participant marshals or event stewards

Some demonstrations use trained volunteers to help participants understand routes, schedules, accessibility arrangements, event expectations, and emergency procedures.

Volunteers should not be represented as police officers or encouraged to perform law-enforcement functions.

Define their responsibilities clearly and train them accordingly.

De-escalation

Organizers should communicate expectations about conduct before the event.

Depending on the circumstances, useful expectations may include:

• Do not threaten or harass other participants
• Do not dehumanize people with different views
• Do not initiate physical confrontation
• Follow lawful route and site requirements
• Allow emergency access
• Follow the event's agreed safety procedures

Do not deliberately use inflammatory rhetoric in order to make a crowd angrier or more difficult to control.

Plan the logistics

Depending on the size and location of the event, consider:

• Sound equipment
• Electrical power
• Toilets
• Water
• First aid
• Trash and cleanup
• Transportation
• Parking
• Signs and banners
• Staging
• Accessibility
• Participant check-in where appropriate
• Emergency communication

Have contingency plans

Ask what you will do if:

• Attendance is larger than expected
• Attendance is smaller than expected
• Severe weather develops
• Equipment fails
• Transportation changes
• A counter-demonstration occurs
• A medical emergency happens
• A scheduled speaker cancels
• The event must be relocated or shortened

Do not treat the absence of news coverage as an emergency.

Give yourself appropriate lead time

Large demonstrations may require substantial advance planning.

Smaller events may be organized more quickly.

The amount of time needed depends on:

• Permits
• Event size
• Location
• Equipment
• Accessibility services
• Transportation
• Speakers
• Safety planning
• Community outreach

There is no universal rule that demonstrations require months of planning.

If circumstances require quick action, reduce the event's complexity rather than ignoring important safety or legal requirements.

Communication

Communicate with organizers and participants

Use communication methods appropriate to the people involved.

Options may include:

• Email
• Text messaging
• Group-messaging platforms
• Phone calls
• Websites
• Social media
• Printed materials

Make sure participants can receive important updates about:

• Time and location
• Route
• Transportation
• Weather
• Accessibility
• Legal or site rules
• Schedule changes
• Emergency instructions

Do not measure advocacy only by message volume

A demonstration may lead participants to contact public officials afterward.

Encourage people to understand the issue and communicate their own views rather than treating thousands of identical messages as the primary measure of influence.

Publicizing the demonstration

Public outreach may include:

• Websites
• Social media
• Email
• Text messaging
• Community organizations
• Newsletters
• Flyers
• Community media
• News organizations

Clearly state:

• Who is organizing the event
• What the event is about
• When and where it will occur
• How people may participate
• What accessibility arrangements are available
• What participants should bring or know

Working with news organizations

News coverage can help inform the public, but journalists are not members of the advocacy campaign.

Organizers may provide:

• A media advisory
• A press release
• Accurate background information
• Contact information
• Relevant research or documents
• Access to speakers who have agreed to speak with reporters

Respect journalistic independence.

Do not expect favorable coverage because an organization has cultivated a personal relationship with a reporter.

Do not pressure participants to speak with media.

Photography and recording

Public demonstrations are often photographed or recorded by participants, journalists, organizations, and members of the public.

Organizers should tell speakers and participants when they know that official photography, livestreaming, or media coverage is planned.

People sharing highly personal experiences should understand that public images and recordings can circulate beyond the event.

During the demonstration

Organizers should:

• Monitor safety and accessibility
• Keep participants informed of schedule or route changes
• Follow applicable permit conditions
• Maintain emergency access
• Address equipment or logistical problems
• Communicate with site or public-safety officials when necessary
• Avoid unnecessary confrontation

If an unexpected problem occurs, prioritize people's safety over maintaining the planned program exactly as written.

After the demonstration

Complete immediate responsibilities

Make sure:

• Participants can leave safely
• Equipment is removed
• Cleanup is completed
• Permit or venue requirements are fulfilled
• Outstanding bills or contractual obligations are handled
• Important safety incidents are documented appropriately

Follow through on the requested action

A demonstration is rarely the entire advocacy strategy.

Depending on the goal, next steps may include:

• Meeting with decision-makers
• Providing testimony
• Submitting written comments
• Following legislation or a policy decision
• Continuing community organizing
• Providing services or information connected to the issue
• Monitoring implementation

Evaluate the event

Ask:

• Did the event accomplish its stated purpose?
• Was the requested action clear?
• Was participation accessible?
• Were people directly affected meaningfully involved?
• Were there safety problems?
• Did organizers follow applicable rules and permits?
• Did the communication system work?
• What did participants or decision-makers learn?
• What should be changed next time?
• Is another demonstration actually the best next step?

Describe the results accurately

Do not exaggerate:

• Attendance
• Community support
• News coverage
• Policy impact
• Organizational influence

A large demonstration does not automatically prove that the broader community supports the position.

Likewise, a small demonstration does not automatically mean that the concern is unimportant.

Do not define success mainly as organizational power

Success may include:

• A policy change
• A commitment to review an issue
• Greater public understanding
• New community participation
• Stronger relationships among affected people
• Identification of new evidence or concerns
• A clear next step

Being perceived as a politically powerful organization should not be the primary measure of whether the demonstration was worthwhile.

In Summary

A public demonstration is an organized public expression of support, protest, solidarity, concern, or a request for action.

Demonstrations may include marches, rallies, vigils, picketing, symbolic activities, and other forms of peaceful public expression.

Begin with a clear purpose and determine whether a demonstration is actually the most useful advocacy method.

Choose a format, location, date, and program that match the goal and allow meaningful participation.

Check current laws, permit requirements, site rules, and other restrictions for the specific location.

Do not assume that one jurisdiction's demonstration rules apply elsewhere.

Plan for accessibility, transportation, weather, emergency access, medical needs, communication, cleanup, and other logistical issues.

If counter-demonstrators are expected, prioritize safety, de-escalation, and the ability of different groups to express their views without interference.

Do not deliberately intensify anger, dehumanize people with different views, or treat confrontation as proof that a demonstration is effective.

Civil disobedience and activities likely to result in arrest require separate legal and safety consideration and should never be presented as an obligation for participants.

People directly affected by an issue should have meaningful opportunities to participate, but they should not be used primarily as emotional or media symbols.

News coverage can help communicate an issue, but media attention should not be the primary goal of every demonstration.

Treat journalists as independent professionals rather than advocacy partners.

After the event, complete logistical responsibilities, follow up on the substantive goal, and evaluate what worked and what did not.

Report attendance, public support, and policy effects accurately.

Finally, the purpose of a public demonstration is not simply to create spectacle, dominate news coverage, intimidate decision-makers, or make an organization appear powerful.

It is to give people a visible, organized, and responsible way to express their views, participate in civic life, and seek change.

___You know what a public demonstration is.

___You know the goals of a public demonstration, including:

• Advocacy
• Support
• Protest
• Counter-demonstration
• Public relations
• Action

___You know which goal(s) you would like your demonstration to accomplish.

___You know the different forms a demonstration can take:

• Marches/parades
• Rallies
• Picketing
• Sit-ins
• Vigils
• Street theater

___You know which form you would like your demonstration to take.

___You know why you might organize a demonstration:

• Other methods have failed
• Timing
• Public impact
• To energize your constituency
• To draw attention

___You have decided when to have your demonstration.

The four bases of putting together a public demonstration have been covered:

___Planning, planning, planning

___Lead time

___Communication

___Follow-up

Planning, planning, planning -- you have:

___Decided what you want to accomplish

___Decided on specifics you would like to see happen at the demonstration

___Decided who you are trying to reach

___Planned your program

___Chosen a place for the demonstration

___Decided on a specific date and time

___Figured out how to get people to attend

___Worked out the logistics

___Been proactive in your efforts to confront possible problems

Lead time -- you have:

___Allowed yourself plenty of time to reach your demonstration goals

___Found a large space in advance

___Booked guests far in advance

Communication -- you have:

___Designed an effective communication system

___Developed a plan for publicizing the demonstration

___Orchestrated media coverage

___Ensured good communication before, after, and during the demonstration

Follow-up -- you have followed up, both immediately following the demonstration and on the long-term by:

___Contacting your intended audience

___Keeping up with your constituents

___Publicizing your success

___Attempting to attain media coverage

___Organizing other events with the same focus

___Institutionalizing the demonstration

Example 1: Crowd marches downtown in Lawrence, Kansas, to support detained scientist Syed Jamal

Earnest chants filled Massachusetts Street on Thursday as dozens of people marched in support of Syed Ahmed Jamal, a Bangladeshi-born Lawrence scientist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a deportation order after 30 years of residency in the U.S.

Shouts of “Free Syed Jamal” and “Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here” rang out as marchers carried signs through downtown Lawrence to raise awareness for a local family that associate pastor Eleanor McCormick of Plymouth Congregational Church said has been “shaken to its core.”
Read more.

Example 2: Lawrence Indigenous, queer communities and allies mourn death of nonbinary Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict

Members of Native American and queer Lawrence communities joined in solidarity for a vigil in honor of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary student from Oklahoma who died February 8th, 2024, after suffering injuries from a fight in the girls’ bathroom at school — the bathroom state law required them to use.

Nex, of Choctaw descent, lived within the Cherokee Nation reservation and “deserved love, support and to be kept safe,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said in a statement.

You can read the full article at this link to the Lawrence Times.

• Before you start

• What is a negotiator?

• What is a mediator?

• What is a fact-finder?

• When might professional dispute-resolution assistance be useful?

• When might negotiation or mediation not be appropriate?

• How do you find and select a negotiator, mediator, or fact-finder?

Negotiation is part of everyday life.

People negotiate at home, at work, within organizations, and throughout communities.

Organizations may negotiate:

• Collaborative agreements
• Contracts
• Funding arrangements
• Workplace issues
• Service responsibilities
• Community-benefit agreements
• Regulatory or administrative disputes
• Other issues requiring agreement among people or institutions

Many negotiations can be handled directly by the people involved.

In other circumstances, assistance from a negotiator, mediator, fact-finder, attorney, or another dispute-resolution professional may be useful.

The appropriate process depends on the issue, the relationship among the parties, the legal context, the power dynamics, the urgency of the situation, and what each party needs from the process.

Before you start

Understand the different processes

Negotiation, mediation, neutral fact-finding, arbitration, facilitation, and other dispute-resolution processes are related but distinct.

Negotiation

Negotiation is a process in which parties communicate directly or through representatives to explore whether they can reach an agreement.

A neutral third party is not required.

Mediation

Mediation involves a neutral third party who helps participants communicate, understand interests and options, and explore whether they can reach their own agreement.

The mediator does not ordinarily impose the outcome.

Neutral fact-finding

Neutral fact-finding generally involves an independent person or team examining disputed factual questions and reporting findings.

The authority of a fact-finder and the effect of the report depend on the law, agreement, court order, agency process, or other rules governing the matter.

Arbitration

Arbitration involves a neutral decision-maker who considers the dispute and issues a decision.

Depending on the governing agreement or law, the decision may be binding or nonbinding.

Do not assume every dispute should be settled through the same process

Alternative dispute resolution can be useful, but it is not automatically preferable to litigation, administrative enforcement, formal investigation, or another legal process.

The right process depends on the circumstances.

Power does not have to be equal before negotiation can occur

Parties frequently enter negotiation or mediation with unequal:

• Financial resources
• Organizational power
• Legal representation
• Technical expertise
• Access to information
• Political influence
• Ability to tolerate delay

Unequal power does not automatically make negotiation impossible.

It may, however, require safeguards such as:

• Independent legal advice
• Access to relevant documents
• Qualified interpretation
• Disability accommodations
• Additional preparation time
• Separate meetings where appropriate
• A carefully selected neutral
• Clear procedures for ending the process

Do not treat threats of embarrassment, economic harm, personal consequences, or exposure of unrelated information as prerequisites for being taken seriously.

Interest-based or principled negotiation

One influential approach to negotiation is commonly associated with Roger Fisher and William Ury's Getting to Yes.

Its concepts remain useful, but it is one framework among many approaches to negotiation and conflict resolution.

Separate people from the problem

Disagreement about an issue does not necessarily mean that the people involved are the problem.

Focus on:

• The issue
• The relationship
• Communication problems
• Interests and needs
• Relevant evidence
• Possible solutions

Avoid personal attacks or assumptions about another person's character or motives.

Focus on interests, not only positions

A position describes what someone says they want.

An interest helps explain why that outcome matters.

For example:

Position: We need the program funded at $300,000.

Interest: We need enough funding to serve the expected number of participants without reducing essential services.

Understanding interests can create additional options that may not be visible when people focus only on stated demands.

Generate options

Avoid assuming that only one possible agreement can solve the problem.

Consider alternatives involving:

• Timing
• Funding
• Responsibilities
• Monitoring
• Implementation
• Communication
• Evaluation
• Other relevant terms

Use appropriate criteria

Agreements may be easier to evaluate when participants use criteria that do not depend entirely on either party's preferences.

Depending on the dispute, useful criteria may include:

• Current law or regulation
• Scientific evidence
• Professional standards
• Comparable agreements
• Market information
• Independent evaluations
• Community priorities
• Established organizational policy

Not every disagreement has one completely objective answer.

Values, priorities, uncertainty, and differing interpretations of evidence may remain relevant.

What is a negotiator?

A negotiator represents a party in a negotiation.

Unlike a mediator, the negotiator is not expected to be neutral between the parties.

A negotiator may be:

• A staff member
• An organizational leader
• A union representative
• An attorney
• A community representative
• A professional negotiator
• Another authorized representative

What does a negotiator do?

A negotiator may help:

• Clarify your goals
• Identify your underlying interests
• Determine which issues are negotiable
• Develop possible options
• Evaluate proposals
• Communicate with the other party
• Protect your legal or organizational interests
• Document a proposed agreement

Establish the negotiator's authority

Before negotiations begin, clarify whether the negotiator may:

• Make proposals
• Reject proposals
• Tentatively accept terms
• Sign an agreement
• Recommend an agreement subject to approval by someone else

The other party should understand who has final authority to approve an agreement.

When might a negotiator be useful?

Consider professional or experienced representation when:

• The matter is legally or technically complex
• Significant money, services, rights, or organizational responsibilities are involved
• You lack experience negotiating the type of agreement involved
• The other party has professional representation
• The relationship has become highly adversarial
• Previous direct negotiations have stalled
• You need someone who can focus on negotiation while others manage the organization's regular work

Having professional assistance is not an admission of weakness.

What is a mediator?

A mediator is an impartial third party who assists participants in communicating and exploring whether they can reach their own resolution.

Mediation is based on party self-determination.

The mediator facilitates the process but ordinarily does not decide the dispute or impose a settlement.

What does impartiality mean?

An impartial mediator should not favor one participant over another.

Before mediation begins, potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed and addressed.

What does self-determination mean?

Participants make their own decisions about whether and on what terms to reach an agreement.

In some legal systems or programs, people may be required to attend or attempt mediation.

That does not necessarily mean they can be required to accept a settlement.

The exact rules depend on the jurisdiction and process.

What can a mediator do?