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Calling your legislator: a script
A call takes two minutes, and a staff member logs it the same day. Here is what to say.
How a call goes
- A staff member answers, usually a scheduler or an aide, not the legislator. That is normal, and they log what you say.
- They will ask for your name and your city or ZIP code, to see whether you are a constituent.
- Say what you want in one sentence, give one reason, and ask where the legislator stands.
- Write down the answer and the staff member's name, and tell your campaign what you heard.
The script
What to say on the phone
Hi, my name is [your name], and I'm a constituent from [your city or ZIP]. I'm calling to ask [Senator or Representative] [last name] to [support or oppose] [bill number and title]. [One sentence on why it matters to you.] Could you tell me where [Senator or Representative] [last name] stands on it? Thank you for your time.
If you reach voicemail
Hi, my name is [your name], and I'm a constituent from [your city or ZIP]. I'm calling to ask [Senator or Representative] [last name] to [support or oppose] [bill number and title]. My number is [phone]. Thank you.
When to call
Before a committee hearing or a vote, when the office is deciding. Call the capitol office while the legislature is in session and the district office when it is not.
Running a campaign, not writing one letter?
Book a free grassroots advocacy session. We'll walk through reaching the right offices with your supporters, then run a one-click campaign with our grassroots advocacy software that sends personalized messages from your whole list.
More from the advocacy guide
Need 500 people to send this before the vote?
Run it as a campaign. Each supporter's message goes to their own legislators, matched by street address, and message versions rotate so offices see varied mail, not 500 copies of one letter.