Identify yourself as a constituent. Constituent phone calls carry the most weight with elected officials.
 

Don’t expect to talk to the elected official directly. Most calls are taken by an official’s staff person.
 

State the reasons you are calling and the action you want your elected official to take. Keep it simple. Give a brief description of the issue of or a bill and bill number. You may find it helpful to have a couple of talking points in front of you to help you stay focused and make sure you don’t forget anything.
 

Be concise. Keep your call focused on one issue with two or three key points supporting the issue. The call should be brief – usually only a couple of minutes.
 

Always be courteous! Never threaten or use abusive language.
 

Request follow-up. Leave your name and contact information with the staff person in case they have any questions or wish to follow-up with you later.