How to Write a Letter to Your Legislator in Arizona

Writing a letter to your legislator may influence local legislation.

Writing a letter to your Arizona Legislators can be a good way to influence politics in your area. However, in order to for the letter to be effective, it needs to be written in the proper format.

Instructions

1. Find out who the senators and representatives are in your district.(See Reference 1) This information can be found by entering your address online at the Center for Arizona Policy's website. (See Reference 2)

2. Make sure to use the proper greeting. When writing to a political figure, it is important to address the person by the appropriate title followed by the last name.(See Reference 1) An example of a typical greeting would be: Dear Senator Smith.

3. Keep your tone polite and business-like throughout the letter. (See Reference 1) Do not use aggressive or adult language as this will detract from its intent. (See Reference 1)

4. State the purpose of your letter within the first paragraph.(See Reference One) If the purpose of your letter involves a specific bill, make sure that you provide a few key elements of its contents. This helps refresh the legislator's memory of that particular piece of legislation. (See Reference One) It is recommended that most letters of this nature be no longer than one page in length, so it's important to get your point across quickly and clearly.(See Reference One)

5. Use logic primarily and emotions secondarily. If the purpose of the letter is to try and influence your representatives and senators about a certain issue or piece of legislature, include facts that support your argument.(See Reference 1) This makes your letter and your position much more credible. However, if there are personal elements that you feel will add to your position, you should include that information.(See Reference 1) Save your strongest fact or emotion for the final sentence. (See Reference 1)

6. Include your name, address, and phone number if you want a reply. (See Reference 1) Additionally, make sure to specifically request for your legislator to reply within the letter.(See Reference One)

7. Address the envelope properly. The legislator's first and last name must be preceded by the phrase: "The Honorable."(See Reference 1) Underneath this, the physical address should be written.(See Reference 1)

Tips & Warnings

• Proofread your letter for spelling and grammar and fix any mistakes that you see. Doing this will add to the professionalism and credibility of the letter.

References

• Center for Arizona Policy: How to write a letter to your legislator
• Center for Arizona Policy: Look Up Officials

Resources

• Center for Arizona Policy: Look Up Officials