Your legislators and county and local officials pay attention to their mail. Responding to you is an important way that officials serve you, their constituent. Public officials know your vote can be won or lost by their response. The most effective letter is a personal one, not a form letter; it should be short, to the point, informed, and polite.
Following are some helpful tips for writing legislators.
Make sure a return address is contained within the letter. Remember, typed letters are easier to read than handwritten letters.
Send your letter via traditional mail, e-mail or fax. Many policymakers prefer to receive your message by fax or e-mail rather than through the mail.
Be sure to identify the town/city and county in which you live.
State what is being asked of the legislator/governor and request a response.
The letter should be no longer than one typewritten page. Send only the original letter, not a copy. Personalize your letter to strengthen your points.
Be factual and support your position with information.
If you are writing about specific legislation be sure to refer to the bill number and title,.
Remain courteous; do not threaten. Simply explain the local impact the legislation would have.
Always write a letter of thanks to legislators who vote in favor of your position.
Be sure to address the elected official properly. The governor is addressed as The Honorable Governor Michael F. Easley. Legislators are addressed as The Honorable name of senator or representative. You do not put Senator or Representative after Honorable in salutations to legislators. (For example, The Honorable Alma S. Adams, not The Honorable Representative Alma S. Adams)
When the General Assembly is in session, send correspondence to legislators at their Raleigh legislative office. When the legislators are not in session, send correspondence to their home office addresses. Visit the North Carolina General Assembly Web site: www.ncga.state.nc.us for Raleigh and home office addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
The suggested address style when writing your senator or representative is:
The Honorable Alma S. Adams
542 Legislative Office Building
300 N. Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Dear Representative Adams:
It helps to know as much about your legislators or local policymakers as you can before contacting them. Go to the North Carolina General Assembly Web site, www.ncga.state.nc.us to find out about his/her committee assignments, interests, background, views, voting history, etc.
If you believe you have something in common with the policymaker you're contacting, or admire his or her position or statement on an issue-even on an issue unrelated to the subject of your letter-say so.
Other policymakers you may want to contact are the governor, local leaders and North Carolina's national senators and representatives. Following are guidelines on how to address them.
You can reach the governor year round at:
The Honorable Governor Beverly Perdue
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603-8001
For the mayor, you would refer to him or her as The Honorable name in the address and in the salutation as:
Dear Mayor Name:
For members of the county commissioners or city council, you would refer to him or her as The Honorable name in the address and in the salutation as:
Dear Councilman Name:
Dear Commissioner Name:
Next: Sample letter to a legislator
First In Families of North Carolina | 524 S. Duke Street | Durham, NC 27701
919-251-8368 | email