Your Involvement Makes a difference
Tips for Effective Communication with Legislators
SENDING EMAILS
When in session, legislators use their laptops constantly to correspond with constituents. Because they review hundreds of bills, the best time to contact them is ahead of votes in committee or on the floor. Also, avoid form emails, which often aren’t read. Instead, write your own message and speak from your experience or values.
Our advice is to write a three-sentence message which contains the following in this order:
1. Introduce yourself and provide a few personal details, such as where you live or your connection to the issue. This catches attention and lets them know it’s not a form email.
2. Respectfully state the specific action you’d like them to take and mention the number and title of the bill. For example: “Please vote no on HB 809 transfer of federal lands.”
3. Finish with a personal statement about why this topic is important to you or your family. It’s great to share a real Wyoming experience or story.
Remember to keep it brief (legislators get hundreds of emails in a day) and be respectful — always! Legislators work long, hard hours. If you treat them respectfully, they’ll be more inclined to open and read your emails in the future.
Calls & Visits
We sometimes ask members to call legislators during the session. A receptionist will take your message and deliver it right away. This gets attention!
Senate: 307.777.7711
House: 307.777.7852
If you have more time, it’s helpful to build relationships with your legislators during the interim. Have a conversation with them to let them know what’s important to you, or grab a group of community members for a meeting.
Citizens who show up in Cheyenne to talk with legislators are fairly rare — so showing up in person can have a big impact. Let us know if you’ll be in Cheyenne during the session and we’ll help you with your visit.
Other resources
Wyoming’s Legislative Service Office has excellent tools to inform your participation, including a dynamic website, fact sheets, a database of bills, and livestreaming audio. Browse the website at wyoleg.gov, or tune in to a live floor debate!