This is a brief and basic guide for people who want politicians to take account of their views and needs.
More influential than individual voters' opinions are party policy, the politician's personal beliefs, and the need to satisfy a sufficient proportion of the public to gain re-election. These factors should be kept in mind when contemplating a political course of action.
Sometimes the most appropriate action is trying to change public opinion, rather than communicating directly with politicians.
Find out which areas of government deal with the issue with which you are concerned. In some cases it is best to deal with the officials administering the department, though when broad questions of policy or law are involved, the policy-making body or legislature should be approached.
Personal Meetings - Face to face contact is usually the most effective way to communicate your viewpoint; it can also be the hardest to arrange. Politicians may represent many thousands of people, and your request could be one of hundreds. Be patient. Don't get angry if you are refused. The people you contact may be quite influential, and rudeness can only make them less sympathetic to your concerns. If you can arrange a meeting, make sure that you know the issue thoroughly, and be ready to answer any questions or objections in a calm, rational manner. Present your case simply, without exaggeration or excessive elaboration of detail. Be polite, and make it your goal to give the politician enough understanding of the issue as you see it to make an intelligent decision. Leave a written summary so they can make an informed decision.
Telephone Conversations - Phone calls have a quality of immediacy and personal directness approaching that of personal meetings, but take much less effort to arrange and usually take less time. For these reasons, they are more common than meetings. The techniques of polite, uncomplicated explanation of the subject can be effective here. Politicians' phones are usually answered by one or more levels of staff, and you may or may not get to speak to the actual representative. Don't worry if this happens, as the staff you encounter may well be in charge of your issue, and in any case they may have some influence on policy.
Individually Written Mail including fax, email - This is the most common method of putting your views to politicians, and is in the medium range of effectiveness. While it does not have the immediacy of real-time contact, written communication has the advantage that busy politicians are more likely to read your letter than to see you in person. Mail also provides an opportunity for considered reflection which may be absent in real-time interaction. Letters should be one or two pages in length, beginning with a brief statement of the issue and of the writer's position. A concise summary of the issue should be next, followed by the reasons why the representative should adopt the policies you recommend. Lengthy and detailed documentation should be avoided if possible, although references to evidence and sources of further information should always be provided.
Individually Addressed Mass Mail - If you have gone to the trouble of writing a good letter, you may use technology to address it to a number of representatives. Apart from individual addressing, these letters should be hand signed (if applicable). One page is a good length for these, with further information available on request. These letters may be slightly less effective than individually written letters if your addressees realise that everyone has received the same letter. Photocopied identical letters should be avoided.
Mass Mail-Ins - These are usually campaigns initiated by political lobby groups, where many people are asked to write to one or more politicians about an issue. The letters may range from original to form letters and signed postcards. Form letters are much less effective than individual letters.
Electronic Deluges - Sometimes a lobby group will initiate a flood of phone calls or faxes to a politician's office, in an attempt to demonstrate the depth of feeling on an issue. This is often a misguided reaction to frustration, and is likely to rebound. Representatives who find their lines of communication deliberately choked by the proponents of an issue will only become more hostile toward those responsible.
Petitions - These are often the first resort of the
inexperienced campaigner. Petitions are rarely noticed by politicians,
and their reading is a mere formality. If you want to build up a mailing
list, circulate a petition and copy the addresses - otherwise, don't bother.
Table of Contents
Media Campaigns - Where the aid of the mass media is enlisted through persuasion of journalists and editors, publicizing stories, advertising. The mass media can have a powerful influence on politicians if it is skillfully manipulated. Such methods are usually the province of political parties and professional interest groups, although on some rare occasions they can be used by individuals.
Media Hits - These are media releases, special media events and other methods used to generate reports on specific issues of interest, usually with the intent to present your view of an issue in a favourable light. Politicians normally monitor the media in areas of relevance to their interests, and the effect of media may be enhanced by targeting of media in the representative's electorate or other areas frequented by the representative. A favorite technique of organized lobby groups, media opportunities are within the reach of the resourceful individual.
Seeking Professional Help - There are political workers who lobby for money or for the sake of their personal beliefs. One of these may be able to help you. Professional campaigners vary greatly in quality and price, and you should only consider this type of help if you can find a reliable and affordable one.
Through Community Organizations - You may be able to find, or establish, a voluntary organization which supports your cause. Look for groups with similar interests which are likely to be sympathetic. Interest groups have their own priorities, and usually have limited resources, so don't expect them to drop everything and come running to your aid. Such groups can, however, be powerful allies and may have access to some of the more effective lobbying methods.
Through Party Organisations - Joining a political party in order to influence its policy is not recommended, although it can sometimes work and is included here for completeness. Usually any such action entails a long struggle within an entrenched political system which may give you a greater understanding of politics, but will alienate the members of other parties from your cause and may not achieve your intended result.
Before an Election - The knowledge of an impending election concentrates the political mind wonderfully. The months immediately preceding an election are usually the best time to approach your representatives, as they will then be most receptive to anything which might get them some votes. Don't neglect the rival candidates - they want to be elected too, and just might succeed. If you want to lobby all the candidates, it is best not to favor one over the others. If your issue is perceived as a vote-loser, it might be better to wait until after the election.
Before the Issue Goes Public - If you know that an issue is about to emerge into the limelight, it is best to brief politicians before it happens. They appreciate being told in advance so they're not taken by surprise when it breaks. This also gives you an opportunity to present your side of the matter first.
At Publicity Peaks - For any public issue which continues over time, there will be peaks in public awareness and concern, usually when new developments give rise to media coverage. At these times, the interest of politicians in the issue is greater. A quick reaction before or during these periods may get their attention. If you are good at publicity, you may be able to create such conditions yourself.
Before the Issue Gets to the Legislature or Congress - If an issue is likely to involve changes to the law, it is desirable to lobby the Government and other parties before they make a policy decision. It is much easier to influence a policy which has not yet been formed, than one which is already set in place.
During Passage of Legislation - When it is too late to get in first, there is still an opportunity for input before the legislature has finished dealing with the matter. Your chances for success at this point may be small, but at least you can get some idea of the political landscape with which you must deal in future negotiations.
Generally - Lobbying may also be done when no particular
issue is in the air, just to keep representatives aware of your views and
of your interest in their performance.
Table of Contents
Sweet Reason - The direct appeal to reason is probably the best place to start. Many politicians actually believe that they are trying to build a better world, and it doesn't hurt to give them a chance to do it. This tactic is also the best basis for a long-term campaign, as truth nearly always wins out in the end. Bear in mind, however, that factors other than logic and ethics have a major role in the political process, and a politician may not be able to put even firmly held beliefs into practice. It should also be realized that what seems perfectly reasonable to you may not seem so to another honest person with different beliefs.
Appeal To Ideology - When a representative is known to adhere to a particular political philosophy, it might be useful to frame your issue in terms of the tenets of that philosophy. This will usually only work if your point of view is compatible with the politician's principles. Don't try to bend their rules too far to fit your case, as this may offend. Remember that they know their own beliefs better than you do.
Appeal To Self-Interest - For the more cynical approach, you could point out the electoral advantages (if any) of supporting your issue. It is useful to have some idea of public opinion on the issue, and of any popularity problems faced by the politician's party which could be ameliorated by supporting your cause. This will only work if you can convince the representative that there is public support for your case which will show up at the ballot box. Caution is advised when using this approach, as some politicians may be offended by any implication that they care for their careers more than they care for the appropriateness of an issue. This approach should therefore only be used as a supplement to one of the others.
Help The Good Guys - If you have a sympathetic representative, you might consider volunteering to help in the next election campaign. Politicians appreciate support, and you would be contributing to the success of someone who supports your issue. You can also learn more about politics in this way. Before embarking on such a course of action, you should be sure that you are prepared to invest some time and effort, and that the representative's general policies are sufficiently compatible with your own beliefs. Also, take into account the effect of your actions on the way you may be perceived by other political players.