How important is grammar / spelling?
You should be careful with this type of letter. However, if you have a single typo or mistake, it will not matter. Although, if you have too many, your letter will probably not be taken as seriously as it should be.

Does it need to be typed?
Yes.

How do I find the addresses?
The easiest way is to use the internet. Use these links:

  1. House Representative  www.le.state.ut.us
  2. Senator  www.utahsenate.org

 

Tips for Writing your Public Officials

All Professional Letters:

  1. Are typically one-page in length
  2. Are issue-based
  3. Are specific
  4. Request action, provide information or express opinion
  5. Are typed or word-processed
  6. Include personal information
    (are NOT anonymous)
  7. Are generally grammatically correct


Letters to Public Officials:

  1. Format (see link below)
  2. Contain a greeting or a compliment
  3. State that you are voter in her/his district
  4. Briefly describe issue
  5. State your position
  6. Give reasons for your position
  7. Argue against potential opposition in a respectful manner
  8. State your request
  9. Close with a thank you

 

Use the sample letter to help walk you through the process.

You can also phone your public officials Phone your public officials

Questions about Writing to
Public Officials

Who is a public official?
Public officials are those individuals who the people have elected to represent them, or serve as leaders. Examples
are mayors, legislators, governors,
federal representatives, senators, congressmen, etc.

Will a public official read what I write?
In one way or another, yes, all public officials read what their constituents (the people they represent or serve) write to them. Sometimes, if the official is very busy, such as a governor, a member of the staff will read the letter and will report the concerns to the appropriate person or office in the official’s office. You will most often receive a written response from the public official, or the staff, as well.

Yeah, okay, but will they really care what I say?
In fact, yes, they will! In general, if a public official receives a letter about a particular issue, they consider that twenty-five other people feel the same way! So, writing a letter to a public official carries a lot of weight in terms of getting your opinion across.

What should I say?
Public officials represent you, and they need to be informed about how their constituents feel, what they think, in order to represent them well. If you are concerned about a particular issue, you should write your opinion on that issue and provide reasons that explain your opinion. Public officials are used to attention, so it is useful to say a nice word to start out with to warm up your audience. Also, it’s really important to explain that you are a constituent of that public official. She/he will listen to you more since you can vote her/him in, or out, of office!

How long should it be?
Since public officials are busy, it’s best to keep your letters to a single page, single-spaced. It is sometimes difficult to get all you want to say in a page, but your letter will get more attention if you can keep it to this length. Sometimes it works to draft out what you want to say, without thinking of length and then cut it down to size.