How to write to your MP or Member of Congress

Writing to your elected officials is one of the most powerful things you can do to enact change. Their main job, theoretically, is to serve you, the constituent. 

They’ve been elected to represent your interests, and despite the many turning cogs in the political machine, they do have an important role to play in influencing government policy. 

Doorstep recycling in the UK, for example, was the direct result of people coming together to lobby their MPs for change, while pressure from the public was responsible for the creation of an important Antarctic Ocean sanctuary.

But elected officials can only drive change if they know the opinions and concerns of their constituents, which is why it’s important to make your voice heard.

Who should I write to?

In the UK and Australia, elected officials are called MPs, or Members of Parliament. You can find yours at members.parliament.uk in the UK, or elections.nsw.gov.au in Australia.

In the USA, you should write to your Member of Congress, which can be found at congress.gov/find-your-member.

Every country in Europe will have its own political system, but the European Union (EU) has its own set of elected officials called MEPs, or Members of European Parliament. They represent the interests of EU citizens and their city or region, and can lobby the European Commission and Council of Ministers. Find yours at europarl.europa.eu/meps.

What should I say?

Be clear, concise and straight to the point. Explain what your concerns are, back these up with research and examples, and offer input into how they might be resolved. Finally, end your correspondence by asking them what they intend to do about the issue, and that you are looking forward to hearing from them.

Below is a template letter you might send to your representative on the topic of climate change.

Follow up

If you don’t receive a response to your letter or email, send another. If your representative responds with promises to take direct action on something but then appears to be dragging their heels, follow it up with them. And if something changes that affects your cause, for example new research is published, make sure your MP is aware of it.

Of course, there’s a fine line between gentle, and consistent pressure and harassment, so keep in mind that these people are reasonably busy and might not get back to you right away. Being polite and establishing a good relationship with your representative is more likely to move your concerns higher up their agenda.  

Other ways to engage your elected officials

• Writing an email or letter is not the only way to communicate your concerns to your representatives. You could also try:
• Approaching them on social media. Posing questions in a public environment makes it harder for them to ignore you.
• Talking to them in person. MPs often hold regular ‘surgeries’ to meet their constituents. This is the perfect opportunity for you to make yourself heard face-to-face. Follow up the meeting with a letter or email reaffirming any action they’ve agreed to.
• Inviting them to a local event that’s relevant to your cause. This gives the wider community the chance to talk to them, and many reps will welcome the opportunity to get some positive public facetime under their belts. If they agree to attend, take steps to publicise the event. Tell social media that they’ll be in attendance, contact other local groups and let local journalists know, and be sure to follow up with a letter of thanks.