Master the 7 "C's" of Writing to Your Legislator
When the time calls for it, we at Family Protection Ministries may ask you to write to your California legislators in the Senate and Assembly about specific bills.
Writing letters is valuable way to communicate with your legislator. The letters you write are very significant. Compared to the U.S. Senators and U.S. Congressmen, State Senators and State Assembly Members don’t hear from very many people. Many legislators believe that your one letter represents the view of 100 other voters who did not take the time to express their position. As few as five to ten letters from constituents can change a state legislator’s position on a bill!
Before you begin writing, try to determine what you want to say—note every item that is essential. After composing the rough draft, check to make sure that you have included everything on your list. Remember, the purpose of your letter is to build a positive relationship and influence your legislator’s vote.
When writing about legislation, please keep the following qualities in mind:
- Clearness – Be upfront about the issue you are writing about and your concerns.
- Conciseness – There is not much space on a newspaper, so keep it brief and focused on one topic. Check with the newspaper on their word count per op-ed.
- Calmness – Do write with a confident voice, but do not be disrespectful.
- Completeness – Address all your points, state your opinions, and sign your letter.
- Courtesy – Write with respect to the editor and reader, as they are the ones who curate what goes in the newspaper.
- Correctness – Be sure to check all your facts (especially in regards to a bill) before sending or emailing your letter.
- Creativity – Personalize the letter and mention how it would impact your family if a representative voted a certain way (if you are writing about a specific bill).
If you need extra support, we’ve created some templates (below the video) to guide you through the process.
Tips from Nathan on how to write to your legislator.
Templates to Help You
1. Templates
2. Write Your Editor
Need some assistance?
Have you ever wanted to write a letter to your legislator(s) either to show support or opposition of a particular bill, but fear your writing skills aren’t up to par? We have a simple solution! Check out our templates below, edit, and use them as often as you’d like. We also have a sample letter of introduction, as well as a meeting follow-up letter of thanks you can send right after your district meeting.
Write a Letter to Your Editor
If you have an opinion on a bill regarding homeschooling, writing a letter to the editor (or op-ed) of your local newspaper is an effective way of reaching your local representatives (who pay attention to news in their district), and sharing your opinion with others.
Your letter does not need to address a specific bill (though you may reference one if you would like). You can make an impact by giving a more broad, pro-homeschool and pro-status-quo message to the public from a first-hand perspective.
Many high schoolers can write an effective letter and, to add to the impact, say that they are currently homeschooled, even mentioning that they like being homeschooled!
Writing a letter to the editor is a little different than writing to your legislator, but the same principles apply. Here are a few tips and a sample as you write your letter:
- Conditions – Be sure to check the newspaper’s editorial and publication guidelines and policies before beginning your letter.
- Clearness – Be upfront about the issue you are writing about and your concerns.
- Conciseness – There is not much space on a newspaper, so keep it brief and focused on one topic. Check with the newspaper on their word count per op-ed.
- Calmness – Do write with a confident voice, but do not be disrespectful.
- Completeness – Address all your points, state your opinions, and sign your letter.
- Courtesy – Write with respect to the editor and reader, as they are the ones who curate what goes in the newspaper.
- Correctness – Be sure to check all your facts (especially in regards to a bill) before sending or emailing your letter.
- Creativity – Personalize the letter and mention how it would impact your family if a representative voted a certain way (if you are writing about a specific bill).
A great example of a letter to the editor is Ben Boychuk’s article for The Sacramento Bee.Â