Who You With?: Finding Your Elected Officials

Cutting to the chase … Daily, elected officials are making decisions on your behalf, you might as well connect with them! Regardless of how you feel about our political system, THIS IS WHAT (who) WE HAVE TO WORK WITH! Period-t.

If you don’t like your elected officials’ actions (or inactions), you have the right to speak up respectfully. If you love everything they do for your community, you also have a right to keep them in their positions of power. It’s okay to express frustrations with friends and our inner circles, but we need to follow that up with direct contact with those directly impacting change.

Here's a quick guide to finding and connecting with your elected officials.

Step 1: Identify Your Elected Officials:

Visit your state's "My Voter Page" to locate your representatives. From there, you can find their contact information on their respective chamber (House or Senate) websites. Many portals list your representatives on all levels - local, state, and federal. Start by identifying the below representatives and saving their contact information:

• State Representative

• State Senator

• Governor

• Mayor

• City Council Member

• County Commission Chair

• School Board Chair

• U.S. Senator

• U.S. Representative

Here are links to a few state voting portals:

• California

• Florida

• Georgia

• Indiana

• Illinois

• Texas

Time to Get to Talkin'

Engaging in person with elected officials can be intimidating, I get it. So, start with a less-intimidating, yet very effective, virtual approach. Here are some ways you can connect with your elected officials and advocate for issues that matter to you:

• Engage on Social Media

  • Follow them, give them a shoutout when they support what you support, mention them in calls to action, etc. But don't let social media be your only way of connection. Social media is the easiest place to lose your voice in the "noise."

• Email Them

• Subscribe to Their Newsletter, if applicable

• Provide Feedback When They Ask

• Schedule a Virtual or In-person Visit with Your Elected Officials

• Call Your Legislator to Share Your Objectives

• Amplify the Issue with a Letter to the Editor

For those comfortable engaging in person, you can attend an open meeting (city council), sign-up to volunteer for a community-sponsored event or day of service, or apply to serve on an advisory board or committee. These are just a few of the many options available for engagement.

Have you already activated your platform and connected with your local officials? Share below! I'd love to learn some of your engagement tactics.