Contact Information for your Lawmakers
- Washington’s two U.S Senators:
http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=WA - U.S. Congressional Representatives:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml - Washington State senators:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rosters/Members.aspx - Washington State representatives:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rosters/Members.aspx?Chamber=H - Local county and/or city supervisors, mayor and council members:
http://www.mrsc.org/cityprofiles/searchcityofficials.aspx
*For state legislators use the following templates to send hand written or typed letters.
House:
Representative _________________
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
Senate:
Senator ________________
P.O. Box 404 [leg district]
Olympia, WA 98504-04[leg district]
Tips on Writing to your Lawmaker:
Be Brief
Your Letter should address a single topic. Generally one page or about three paragraphs is enough to convey your message.
Be Polite
Courtesy is more persuasive than disrespect. Your ideas can be lost if the lawmaker reading your letter encounters anger. Never use vulgarity or profanity.
Three main points
First, say why you are writing and who you are. It is important to let the elected official know that you live in their district, or your letter will likely be ignored. List your credentials: you are a constituent, or you represent a local organization, or you have some professional expertise on the subject matter of the legislation. Tell your elected official about your history with them, by explaining whether you have voted for them, contributed money, or had any business or personal contact with them. The closer your legislator feels to you, the more powerful your argument is likely to be.
Second, provide details. Explain why this issue affects you personally and why it matters to the community. Make sure to identify the issue that you are writing about. If it is a piece of legislation, include the bill number or other details; if it is a problematic trend you want them to address or raise awareness about, be as specific as possible. For example, state that your concern is about employment discrimination, hate crimes, lack of religious accommodation, bullying, or whatever the issue may be.
Third, ask for the specific action you want; for example, a “yes” or “no” on a certain bill, or issuing a public statement supporting the issue that you are writing about. In closing, it is helpful to provide your home address so that the elected official knows you reside in the district and can respond to you.
