Advocacy Made Simple: How to Effectively Communicate With Legislators

Kate Pickett Irving serves as Enterprise Zone Program Administrator for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). In this position, she runs the statewide program that provides Real Property Investment and Job Creation grants for eligible businesses in the 45 designated enterprise zones. Before working at DHCD, Kate served as Director of Economic Development and Public Information Officer for Prince Edward County. She has worked as a legislative liaison for a state senator, as well as an advocate/lobbyist/policy analyst for a nonprofit organization.

In the same way that you are a champion of the local Main Street program in your community, you can be an advocate for the Main Street program and your community’s needs in the Virginia General Assembly. Communicating with a legislator may seem daunting to those who have never done it; however, with a little knowledge and practice, you can be an effective advocate. Remember that legislators are only people and that they serve their constituents – you and your community. You’re likely the expert on your local Main Street program and with that knowledge, you can speak to your legislators confidently about your community’s needs and the program.

In-person meetings are most effective, but phone calls and emails may also be used for communicating. Although, there are a few “musts” when communicating with your legislator:

Tell them who you are.

Include your local address. It reminds them that they are talking to their own constituent who is in their district (and to be frank, a person who may vote for them).

Be brief and straight forward.

What is the issue and/or goal? If you’re meeting with your legislator to simply talk to them about the Main Street program without a clear goal or piece of legislation, then the General Assembly session (which kicks off in early January) is not the time to hold a meeting. They are busy trying to get through hundreds of bills. Save these meeting for other times during the year. For a specific topic, tell them the bill number right away and what the legislation would do. Discuss why you support or do not support the legislation.

Provide data and research.

Legislators are more likely to pay attention if you’re providing information that’s backed by data and research. Keep your information brief and review the main data / research points. If you want to provide more data / information, provide a link to a website or PDF document or provide printed documents in a folder for them.

Use personal stories / experiences.

Support data and research by relating the issue or topic to your own personal experience or that of someone you know. Doing so is more likely to grab their attention and lead to more effective advocacy efforts.

The best communication with your legislator is communication that happens throughout the year, not only during the General Assembly session. Much like everything else in life, establishing communication that’s continuous and friendly can go a long way in your efforts. Include legislators in email updates, newsletters, and other communications. Invite them to Main Street events. The more contact and communication you have with your legislator, the more confident you’ll feel in communicating with them. You have the knowledge and the tools you need to be an effective advocate for the Main Street program and for your community, and the next step is reaching out to your legislator to schedule that first meeting!