5-Part Letter to a Government Official

Good leaders know when to follow. Take the lead if you have a burning issue, and clue them in. Write! Remind yourself that your voice matters, and help your elected official gain insight.

Avoid “red flags” that would give your addressee an excuse/reason to reject and discard your letter. You are building rapport. Be polite. The point is to be assertive without being aggressive… and leave the door open for further communication. As much as you may want to outright express your frustration, please refrain from attacking, threatening, belittling, coercing, attempting to blackmail or venting your rage. The letter is not therapy for you.

It is a first step at bringing information to your elected official, pointing out your concerns (which may not be obvious and need to be spelled out), perhaps establishing some friendly commonality that can lead to future discourse to help you and your community achieve a reasonable resolution to the problem you bring up.

PREP – look up government official contact info

These days you can look up contact information in online registries. One resource is usa.gov, where you can enter in your own address, click on the “find my elected officials” button and be shown three options of “federal,” “state,” and “local” officials, each with a plus-sign, showing that another click will give you more information. Click on the one you want, for example “federal” to show a list which includes your U.S. Representative. One more click on “U.S. Representative” and you will have the address in Washington, D.C. for the person who represents you in your District.

Entering your own name and address is a good way to get current information. You don’t want to send your letter to someone who isn’t there because they’ve been replaced in the last election.

Why you should check the spelling of the official’s name

It’s a good idea to check the spelling of the person’s name you are writing to. I know it sounds petty, but, just like with job applications, the person on the other end may have a lot of paperwork to look through, so they sometimes make their job easier by looking for reasons to stop reading and move on to the next letter. Even if the person is patient and keeps reading, you want to look your best. Don’t misspell their name.

1) Introduce yourself and briefly state your citizen’s concern

Whenever you “speak” you should introduce yourself with more than just your name. The person you are writing to is YOUR elected official, so maybe say something about your residency, especially if the subject you are writing about has a strong bearing on your life where you live. (View mockup letter examples below)

2) Help the official understand by stating your concern clearly

You are writing because you feel strongly about a topic or subject: a decision by a governing body, an upcoming change in law, maybe even something new or anticipated that others haven’t dealt with yet. Without swearing or being sarcastic, get right to the point so that it’s clear what you are writing about. Don’t leave the reader guessing. (View mockup letter examples below)

3) Share your insights and analysis to shed light on your concern

Here, you want to help the reader think through the “ins and outs” of the problem as you have described and defined it. Don’t assume that your elected official knows much of anything at all about your issue. Talk about how you see things turning out if such-and-such is not done, or if an ill-begotten plan is carried out. Help them think it through. They need it. Consider describing what can happen if the policy or approach is not changed, and compare and contrast that with the likely positive effect of making a change. (View mockup letter examples below)

Include or attach relevant information

Help the person reading your letter learn more about something they may not have thought of. If you plan to print the letter and submit it through the mail, make sure the url is spelled out in print. Some people online, also, like to see where the link is taking them, so it’s a good idea to not abbreviate. Any hyperlinks in the text should be revealed, too, which is especially important for printed versions of the letter. Also, if you have a printed color flyer from a like-minded organization supporting your cause, consider inserting it with the letter to be mailed.

4) Request specific feedback and propose follow up

Your sincerity is amplified when you express interest in the recipient’s “take” on what you have written. So, ask for feedback, keeping in mind that your elected official might have some useful insight. Just don’t expect a response right away, other than the usual “Thank you, we received your email and will get back to you shortly.” Let them know that you have the holding power of a tick, and you are going to be under their skin for a little while. Say something like, “I know you are busy, but if you could please respond with your questions, comments or concerns I would appreciate you for it.” Ask a direct question, such as, “Can I count on you to address the issue on your website and in your next public talk on this subject?” Let them know that, in addition to the email they can expect a written letter from you within the next several days, perhaps with enclosures. And then promise to call them in two weeks from today to learn of any new developments. Put it on your calendar and make sure you follow through. Your elected official will be glad. They are here for YOU! (View mockup letter examples below)

5) Close the letter politely, and sign if printed

Close the letter by letting the recipient know that you care that they care. Be courteous. They may actually have given five minutes of their life to better understand your cause. Say something like, “Thank you for your time and attention to this important livable community issue.” Then, print your name and sign underneath after you finally close with a “Sincerely,” or a “Respectfully,” or, if you have already had a back-and-forth, something like “Kind Regards” which is warmer but not appropriate for the initial letter. If they really do earn your praise, work up to a closing of “Best Regards.”

Mockup Example Letters to a Representative