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Home | advocacy

Tips for Talking to Your Legislators

Political transition years call for creative, informed and active advocacy.  Individuals can make a difference in the policy process by having a strategic plan, forming a professional relationship with their elected official, and showing passionate concern and articulation of your issue.  By following these fundamental steps, you can be an agent for change.

  1. Plan your strategy

You may only have a small window of opportunity to speak to the Legislator, so it is imperative that you have a well organized approach.  Know your own organizations’ goals and objectives following the “SMART” criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely), formulate your position on the issue, research the Legislator’s background; including how they have voted on similar issues, and explain why your issue should be a priority.

  1. Make an Appointment a week in advance

Legislators are extremely busy and other advocates and lobbyists form a constant parade in and out of their offices.  Contact their secretary, state your name and organization, explain the purpose of your visit, identify who will attend, and be flexible on the timing.  Invite their staff to participate in the meeting to enhance your rapport with that office.

  1. Be punctual, patient, and persistent

Their schedules are hectic and ever changing, so be prepared to wait, ask where to locate them in the Capitol if they are not in the office at your scheduled time, and be willing to reschedule.  If it becomes certain that your Legislator will not be able to keep the meeting, simply sign the visitor’s log and ask to reschedule.

  1. Memorize your script

You should rehearse your message and the questions you want answered and be able to communicate succinctly in less than two minutes.  Leave related materials including a one-page fact sheet, brochures about your organization, and your contact information with the staff in case they have questions or need additional information after your visit.

  1. Make a formal introduction

When you do have the opportunity, introduce yourself and your organization, explaining how it empowers your constituents and communities.

  1. State your case and ask for a commitment

You have a limited window of opportunity to express what you want and become their expert on the subject, so make your statement concise, honest, and persuasive.  Use data and personal stories from their district to demonstrate credibility and gain acceptance.  If there is a bill you want to educate him or her on, have a copy of the bill ready.

  1. Show your appreciation and dedication by following up

Immediately following your meeting, you should send a thank you letter that reiterates your issue, acknowledges their dedication to their constituents, provides any information or clarification that was asked for during the appointment, and offers your future assistance.

  1. Do not lobby

As a non-profit organization, you must be careful not to cross lobbying lines.  You can educate on your issue, but you cannot “call to action” (Alliance for Justice) by asking them to vote yes or no on a bill.  For more information on lobbying and advocacy, visit www.allianceforjustice.org.

  1. Don’t get discouraged

Making policy change and building rapport requires time and effort.  It will take several visits, possibly sessions, to establish a relationship, make your points heard, and become the expert to your elected official.  You should alternate your contact with calls, visits, and letters.  Persistence, integrity and passion will make you a successful advocate for change.

  1. Ask for support

Do not let an opportunity to provide information pass by because you are unsure or uncomfortable.  Be courageous enough to ask for support from professionals in your arena when you are in doubt.  Feel free to call ACT Missouri for support on issues surrounding advocacy.  Having support will boost your confidence and enhance your relationship with the Legislator you are working with.

Speak Up, Speak Out, Speak Hard:  A Primer on Effective Advocacy Strategies, ACT Missouri, 2009

Did You Know?

  • Most Missouri kids DO NOT drink? In fact, 85.61% of you have not drank in the past 30 days!
  • 53.7% of you would definitely not drink alcohol if one of your best friends offered it.
  • 68.2% think it is wrong or very wrong to drink alcohol.
  • The average age that a person first tries alcohol in Missouri is 13.43 or 7th grade.
  • Of the youth that reported drinking in the past 30 days, 22.8% of them reported at least one episode of binge drinking.

Look at how much has changed since the first annual Speak Hard (2004) and now!

20042016
Average age of first drink:12.1713.43
Had a drink in the past 30 days: 30%14.3%
Ridden in a car with someone who had been drinking: 23.414.4
Drove a car while drinking: 6%4.4%

Source: 2004 and 2016 Missouri Student Survey

Advocacy-Prevention That Works!

Advocacy can seem like such an overwhelming word. Our goal is to break it down into smaller pieces and give you ideas of what you can do to advocate. Come join us as we share proven prevention methods that can lead to positive changes in your community. We received the Community Health in Action Award and Coalition of the Year Award in 2015 for our Nicotine is Nicotine Campaign. We were also recognized for our involvement in raising the age of tobacco and nicotine product purchase/sales from 18 to 21 in Kansas City, Missouri in 2015 and Gladstone in 2016. We will discuss how education, social marketing campaigns, and advocating to key community members (including elected officials) can result in powerful prevention.

Main Presenters: Jordan Elder and Conor Henry, Youth With Vision

Jordan Elder and Conor Henry are the co-chairs of Youth With Vision. Youth With Vision is a student led organization made up of middle and high school students from Clay, Platte and Ray counties. Members strive to decrease substance use among their peers by putting education into action. These young leaders have gained local, statewide, and national recognition for their programs, and would love to share the knowledge gained from their efforts and campaigns with other youth groups across the state!

Missouri Delegation Meets with Legislators at CADCA’s Capitol Hill Day

Members of Missouri’s prevention community attended CADCA’s National Leadership Forum in February.  One of the most exciting parts of this conference is the ability to head to the Hill and speak with Missouri’s legislators about important prevention issues.

CleaverMembers of Lee’s Summit CARES and First Call met with Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

GravesMembers of St. Joseph Youth Alliance, Tri-County, Liberty Alliance for Youth, Ray County Coalition, and ACT Missouri met with Congressman Sam Graves.

LuetkemeyerMembers of Council for Drug Free Youth, Jefferson County P.R.I.D.E., Compass Prevention, and ACT Missouri met with Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer.

SmithMembers of SEMO University RSC, Family Counseling Center, and ACT Missouri met with Congressman Jason Smith.

Getting to Know Your Legislator

Getting to know you…getting to know all about you.  These Julie Andrews lyrics are familiar to some of us classic folks, but who knew they applied to something like advocacy?  Last week, about 30 Missourians had the privilege of attending the annual CADCA Forum, and, more importantly, had the opportunity to get to know some of our federal legislators.  As exhilarating as this experience was, one does not have to go to this extreme to start the advocacy process.

So, where do you begin?  Do you know who your representative and senator are, but not much else?  You are not alone!  The best place and time to start getting to know him or her is here, and now. With a little research, patience, and diligence, you will soon know more about your legislator than just their political affiliation!

If you do not know who your legislators are, you will need to determine your 9-digit zip code by typing in your home address.  Once you have this, you are ready to navigate to the House of Representatives website.  Type in your zip code where it says “Who Is Your Representative?” and it will take you directly to his or her page.  Now you can determine:  how long they have been in office, what bills they sponsor or have sponsored in the past, and what they may be willing to sponsor.  You can also read their bio to ascertain what their personal interests are, what civic organizations they belong to, what their professional background is, and if they are from a rural or urban community.  Use this same process with your Senator and click where it says “Legislator Lookup”.

Now, to get a little more acclimated with their policy interests, investigate which committees they serve on.  For example, a farmer may serve on the Agriculture committee, a teacher on the Elementary and Secondary Education committee.  Make a special note of which Appropriations committee they serve on to further determine basic interests.  If you want to see how your legislator voted on past bills, email ACT Missouri at info@actmissouri.org and we will research it for you.

For information on lobbyists that are financially contributing to your legislator, check the reports on the Missouri Ethics Commission website.

Remember, legislators rely on their constituents for input, stories, data, and most importantly, votes!  Email your legislator, set up an appointment if you desire, or just offer to be a resource on your area of expertise.  You will be singing “Getting to Know You…” in no time!

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