Political Lobbying

One of the easiest but most effective campaigns is the letter campaign – it is difficult to ignore, and easy to do. It takes as little as 10-20 handwritten letters to a political representative to get notice. Letters can be addressed to your political representatives at all levels. At higher levels choose representative who are interested in the issue or who have a portfolio responsibility for it.

Guidelines for writing a lobbying letter include; be succinct – you need to have a clear message; provide supporting facts or evidence; set out what actions you expect or want your representative to take, and include your name and address (this shows you are in the electorate, and also allows a reply letter). Most elected representatives will reply to written letters. If they do take the action you are suggesting/requesting, send them a thank you letter.

An effective method to lobby is to meet with your representative face-to-face. This can happen at their office, or at a community forum or gathering. Elected representatives are usually strongly influenced by the opinions of constituents who take the time to speak to them on a specific issue/concern.

If you are going to visit political representatives in their office, call and make an appointment and outline the issues you wish to discuss, and let the person know how many people are likely to attend. It can be persuasive to have a small group attend. If you are seeking to talk with a higher level representative, you may only get an appointment with their aide. These people are still important to sway.

Make sure you are well prepared for the appointment. Prepare key talking points that are the crux of the issue. Know your topic well and also be familiar with the main points of legislation you will be addressing. Even if discussion became heated it is important to remain calm and respectful – you want them on your side. The aim of your visit is to 'educate' your representative and let them know how strongly members of their constituency feel about the issue.

If you are asked for any additional or supporting information during the meeting make sure you deliver this as soon as possible after the meeting. Sending a note thanking the person for their time and consideration, helps to build relationships.

With some issues that are more urgent, there is no time for letter writing, and then telephoning your representatives is the best action to take. When telephoning always identify yourself (give your affiliation if relevant) and the reason for your call – you are more likely to be put through that way. If you are unable to speak with your representative or their aide, leave a message with your name, address, telephone number and your message. Messages must clearly outline the issue and the action you expect your representative to take.

You can also arrange a phone tree which will generate a persuasive number of calls to the elected representative. To set up a phone tree you need to decide a person to coordinate the process. This coordinator will start the process by passing the message to several key people who will then pass the message on to others on the list. This division of labour and time allows quicker action and more people to be involved. The message that is passed on needs to be clear so it doesn't become distorted. As people get the message they phone the representative.