USE YOUR VOICE​
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Tips for Communicating
​with Elected Officials

Representatives receive 100s, if not 1,000s of communications a day.  To make sure your voice is heard

• If you are a constituent, lead with that fact.  
• Send a personal message.  Describe specifically and in your own words how an issue or legislation will affect you or others you know.  
• Be brief. 
• Offer a solution, not just a complaint.​
• Include the bill number or its popular name if you are commenting on specific legislation.
• Provide your name, address and phone number.

• Email is now the preferred method of communication, while some representatives prefer phone calls.  Letters are still effective.

​Positive feedback works wonders.  Take the time to let representatives know when they have done something of which you particularly approve.  

Phone Calls
​Before calling prepare a short script with your name, address, phone number, bill number, and whether you support or oppose with one sentence explaining why.  If your representative offers a call back option, take it.  A staff member will call you back and you can read your script to them.

​Finding Your Representatives

The Florida Department of State website has a link that provides a personalized list of all your elected officials  from President to your county supervisors based on the mailing address you provide.  

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Be Informed

A good one-stop site for finding research reports as well as links to resources about Florida government is Integrity Florida.  This nonpartisan, nonprofit research institute and government watchdog's mission is to promote integrity in government and expose public corruption.  

Florida ACLU provides resources to help you advocate for voting rights at the local level.

To learn more about Florida election laws and how they are implemented in the Tri-County area, check out  Let Florida Vote!, a presentation at our January 2022 general meeting by Sam Delgado, voting rights organizer from ACLU Florida .

Attend a Local Government Meeting

Show up at a meeting to learn what decisions are being made that impact your community.   To find the time and place for your county commission and school boards meetings, take the appropriate link below:

      Lake County Commission

     Lake County School Board

      Marion County Commission

     Marion County School Board     

​     Sumter County School Board
    
     Sumter County Commission 
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