How to Find My District Representative
Everyone in the United States lives in one or more governmental units, such as a Congressional district or a state legislative district. Regularly scheduled elections determine which individuals will serve as district representatives. If you register to vote, you will be eligible to help decide who gets elected in the area where you live.
Finding the names of your district representatives is not difficult. By providing your specific street address, you will be able to learn your representatives' names, either from a website or by asking an employee in your local elections office.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Providing your home's full address will help you find the names of your district representatives. Identify the specific street address for which you want to know the representative. Collect as much detail as possible -- the number on your house or apartment building, the individual apartment number, the full street name, and the city, state, and ZIP code. You will need this information to find out who your representative is. The boundaries of congressional and legislative districts are highly detailed, and people who live in the same neighborhood sometimes have different district representatives.
-
2
On your computer, navigate to the home page on the United States House of Representatives. Where it says, "Find Your Representative," type your ZIP code in the designated box. Use all nine digits if you know what they are. If you know only the first five digits, type those. They might provide enough information to find out your representative's name. If not, look up your full nine-digit ZIP code on the United States Postal Service's online site and type them into the box on the House of Representatives' site. The website will reveal the name of your representative in the U.S. Congress.
-
-
3
Learn the names of your district representatives in state government by navigating to the National Conference of State Legislatures' website, which includes a "State Legislative Websites Directory." The directory displays two columns, one listing state names and the other listing different types of content. Choose the state you're interested in, then move to the other column and click on "Legislators." Finally, click on the box showing the words, "Get Legislature Links." Information about your state senator and state representative should be available. If not, repeat the process but click on "Home Page" in the second column. Not every state organizes this information in the same way but most states have established online sites where you can learn the names of your district representatives in your state legislature. The sites require you to type in your specific street address, including your ZIP code.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
In addition to your district representatives in Congress, two senators represent each of the 50 states in the United States Senate. To find out the names of your senators, go to the U.S. Senate's website and choose your state from the drop down box located where it says "Find Your Senators." Click on the name of your state and the site will display the names of your state's two U.S. senators.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit capitol image by Andrew Breeden from Fotolia.com house image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
