Contacting government officials can seem intimidating or challenging, but with some preparation it can be quite easy. Officials make their contact information available to the public in phone books and online. In offices at all levels of government, secretaries and staff process these messages by the bucketful. Congress alone receives hundreds of millions of faxes, emails and letters every year. So, keep your message polite, focused and short to increase your chances of being heard and answered quickly.
Instructions
1. Research the subject of your message before contacting a government official.
2. Prepare to leave a short message with a secretary, aide or spokesperson if contacting an official by phone.
3. Look in a phone book or online for an official's phone, email and postal contact information.
4. Call the White House switchboard, the U.S. Capitol switchboard, state legislatures or city and town halls to ask for a specific office if you have no phone book or Internet access.
5. Speak with officials about policies, offering praise or complaints. Notify officials about scheduled events.
6. Be polite, providing your full name and referring to officials by their titles.
7. Identify yourself as a constituent if speaking to an elected official and state your reason for contacting the office.
8. Restrict your phone call, letter or email to one topic.
Tags: contact information, official phone, officials about, phone book, your message