Stumbled across a tremendous resource today, a website that helps you find all of your elected officials based upon your address, and displayed in a very easy to use format. Here is a video about the site, VoteGuide:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0gkjV3hKsU[/youtube]
Here is the VoteGuide site, and it is worth bookmarking! I have only one issue with the site, and it is both minor and major at the same time. The site enables you to find your elected officials, and that is tremendous, but then it also suggests using polls and petitions as a way to get engaged in the democratic process. These are fine methods, but many many people and organizations sponsor polls and petitions.Is there a better way to make sure your voice is heard?
Yes there is. Send a personal letter to your elected official. Handwritten is best, but a typed letter (NOT a form letter) will be just fine too. Every elected official up to your US representatives and senators will most likely see a handwritten letter. Even the President may end up holding and reading your letter! This is the best and easiest way to make sure your voice is heard by a specific legislator. If you want them to really pay attention, get a handful of friends to also end personal letters. Any elected official, if they get a half dozen or more personal (not form) letters will stop and take note of an issue! The more personal letters the better!
Make sure your letter is courteous and offers worthwhile information. Say:
- who you are;
- what issue is important to you:
- why it is important to you;
- what you want your elected official to do (such as support a bill).
Do not be rude, angry, or confrontational. Consider, if you received a letter that was these things, would it encourage you to support a bill? No.
About a week after you send your letter, why not follow up with a phone call? Cal the office and ask to speak to the elected official about the issue important to you.
Casting your ballot is just the first step in making our democratic process work for us, the citizens. You can make a difference, by getting engaged, and a personal letter is the easiest way to do that.