What is a Legislator?

Legislator means "law maker". Legislators are elected officials who write bills, vote on laws, and help decide what programs receive money, among other things. Legislators are voted into office by the people that live in their district.

Who are my Legislators?

Face-to-face meetings where you present your case to your legislator can be very powerful. Elected officials are usually affected by the opinions of constituents who are dedicated enough to a particular issue to arrange a visit. The visits give the legislator an opportunity to ask questions, and to connect an abstract issue with a human face. If you establish good rapport, give the legislator useful information, and act ethically, you may have easier access and clout the next time an important bill comes up.

When you can, try to set appointments with the legislators themselves; failing this see their legislative assistants. At state, city, and county levels, seeing the legislator himself/herself is usually not difficult at all. As a private citizen, however, you may be granted a longer meeting and better scheduling if you are a constituent of that particular legislator.

Tips for meeting with your legislator

• Be honest (even about your position's weak points)
  
• Be prepared. Your representatives, although they work for you, can sometimes be intimidating. The more prepared you are, the less nervous you will be! You may even want to do a practice run.
  
• Give a clear statement of your position and why you feel that your position is best.
  
• Explain why this issue will impact your legislator and/or the people that live in that legislator's district (the constituents)
  
• The more people who visit a legislator on a particular issue, the larger the impact of the visits will be.

Tips for writing a letter to your legislator:

• This Issue Framing Worksheet may help you gather your thoughts about the topic or bill important to you.
  
• It helps to include your address when you write your legislator so they can tell that you live in their district and vote for them.
  
• Be concise. Try not to write more than 2 pages, but if you need more space to tell your story, keep writing!
  
• Encourage friends and families affected by kidney disease to write similar letters to their own legislators.

For more tips and resources, contact Caroline.