Call the Halls: Contacting Your Representative the Smart Way

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Emily Ellsworth

Emily Ellsworth

I worked for Congress for six years in constituent services. Now, I'm using the tools I learned during my years of public service to teach others how to have their voi...

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You saw the viral tweets, but you still have questions.

“Who is my representative and how can I find their phone numbers?”

“What’s the difference between a senator and a congressperson?”

“How can I find out about town hall meetings?”

If you’ve seen tweets and Facebook posts asking for calls to action to call your representatives but you aren’t sure what to say or exactly who to call, start here first.

I’ve expanded the original viral tweets into actionable steps you can take to research, organize, and contact your representative.

My tips on contacting elected officials took the internet and social media by storm after the election.

• The New York Times
  
• CNN
  
• The Huffington Post
  
• Jezebel
  
• Vox
  
• ATTN
  
• Upworthy
• Lifehacker

However, articles here and there and tweet threads are hard to follow and refer back to. I’ve compiled the best practices I learned from my time in Congress and turned them into an easy-to-read guidebook.

Call the Halls contains the information I’ve been asked about the most:

• Researching Your Members of Congress
  
• Finding Your Niche
  
• How to Contact
  
• Useful Scripts/Email Templates
  
• Town Hall Meetings
  
• In-Person Meetings with Staff
  
• Frequently Asked Questions

Call the Halls also includes worksheets that you can print out and complete to keep track of your progress and your research. They are basically the adult coloring books of the political world.

“I am one of those people who had been holding off calling my reps because (typical millennial!) I hate talking on the phone, and didn't know what to expect when I did call. Now I feel ready and empowered to make the calls.” —Emily Helck, writer and blogger at ruralie.com

Don't waste your time on ineffective efforts

Before you start in on calls to action, read this guide. Calling the wrong office or bringing up an issue beyond your representative’s control can discredit your message. Make sure you’re informed and engaging with your elected officials effectively so your voice is heard.

If you’re:

• new to politics and unsure of your next steps
  
• part of a non-profit organization looking to beef up lobbying work
  
• concerned about new laws and policies and want to have your voice heard
  
• interested in learning more about how Congress and their staffs work
  

this guide is for you.

I created Call the Halls to share my knowledge of citizen advocacy. You can pay me what you think it’s worth to you. This is information that I want every educated voter to have and to know when they call their representatives. I hope you will share it with your family and friends. If my tweets or this book helped you get more involved in your government, I’d appreciate a few dollars if you can spare them.

By purchasing Call the Halls here, you’ll get updates. In the coming months, I may have new information to share. All of these updates will come to you automatically, no matter when you purchased or downloaded the guide.