How to Write to Your Congressman or Senator

You need to know the address of your representative to Congress to write that person.

Americans elect people to national offices to represent their views. One way to have your views heard is to keep in contact with a congressman or senator through letter writing. All of them have contact information on their websites.

Instructions

1. Few members of Congress will respond to constituents who are not their own. Find out who your members of Congress are through Project Vote Smart's website.

2. Go to the website of the elected official. The websites Senate.gov and House.gov have links in the top left-hand corner that go directly to the websites of all current members.

3. The link for each elected official has several ways to contact him, including a mailing address. Most have an email form, and you could get a response in a few days. If you mail the letter, it may take six weeks or more to get a response.

4. Write an original letter. Some organizations send mass mailings or forward post cards to officials. These will not be read. Take some time to write a letter on a single issue the official has some control over.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not expect an original response. Many members of Congress get over 1500 pieces of mail a day. While all of the mail is read, most of it is responded to with a generic form letter that gives the Congressman's view on the subject of your letter.

References

• Senate
• House of Representatives

Resources

• Project Vote Smart