Contacting the Office of Public Policy

Director of Government Relations
Toni Van Pelt
Postal Address
621 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington DC 20003
Telephone
(202) 546-2330
Fax
(202) 546-2334

How to Properly Write a Letter

There are two main letters activists can write:

  • letters to elected officials

  • letters to the editor for newspapers.

Letters to Legislators

Letters to elected officials or other policy makers are more private than letters to the editor. These are fairly simple to write, and they do influence legislators, especially when they are part of a coordinated campaign. Legislative staffs are usually small, and therefore a number of letters on the same topic will influence their decisions.

Effective letters to elected officials and policy makers:

  1. Deal with only one issue or one piece of legislation at a time.

  2. Are short and simple.

  3. Get directly to the point: It is counter-productive to extensively impart knowledge to elected official.

  4. Avoid long personal stories.

  5. Avoid poor grammar and spelling: Show that you are a member of the educated, voting public, and that you are making your voice heard on the pressing issues of the day.

  6. Call the legislator to positive action on the issue and ask for a response.

A letter to a legislator might take the following format:

Paragraph A (no more than three lines): "To introduce myself: I am a housewife (or a student, or a retiree, a former school-teacher, etc).

Paragraph B (one or two lines): "I am writing regarding the _____ issue" (or, list a bill number).

Paragraph C (no more than 5 lines—and this paragraph is not even always necessary): explanation of the letter writer's stance and perhaps why.

Paragraph D (one line): "I hope you will vote ____ on this issue," or "take such and such an action on this issue," or "I hope you will lead the effort in passing the ____ bill."

Constituent name, address, and phone number at the end.

Example of Letter to Elected Official:

Dear Congressman _____:

I am writing to you as a mother of two high-school aged children, in St Louis, MO.

I am writing regarding the issue of the teaching of evolution in the schools. I understand that the US Congress will soon vote on whether to mandate the teaching of so-called “Intelligent Design” alongside the teaching of evolution, House Bill 211, the so-called “Teach the Controversy Act”.

I am very much opposed to the teaching of intelligent design in science classrooms. It is akin to the teaching of astrology in astronomy classrooms. I want my children to be given the best education available, and without learning evolution, their science education will be severely hampered.

I hope you will actively work to keep House Bill 211 from passing.

Thank you very much,

Mrs. Smith

Address

Phone Number

TIP: Another letter to legislators that is important is the "thank you" letter to a legislator who has voted the right way. Legislators need to know that they have support for taking bold stands on issues.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor can be effective tools for grassroots activism. As people speak openly about their views on tough issues, others will follow suit. Many secularists and skeptics benefit from validation of their beliefs by knowing there are others like them.

Effective letters to the editor:

  1. Praise individual legislators or political positions. It is ineffective to write a letter that simply criticizes the opposition.

  2. Tackle one issue, and add a few facts to back up your stance.

  3. Are concise and use simple language.

  4. Avoid intellectual language and sarcasm.

  5. Include a call to action (vote yes or no on ____ legislation).

  6. Are less than 250 words in length

7. Have someone proofread the letter for readability and grammatical errors.

A simple formula follows:

  •  

    • Paragraph A (two or three lines): Announce and outline the issue.

    • Paragraph B (three to five lines): Voice your opposition (optional paragraph).

    • Paragraph C (three to five lines): Commend the friendly legislator.

    • Paragraph D (one or two lines): Direct constituents to action.

    • Sign with name, full address, and phone number.

TIP: For faster appearance in print, activists should fax letters rather than just mailing them. Writers should write only once in a while (a maximum of once per month). Activists who feel compelled to write more than once a month should write the letters and find someone else who is willing to sign and submit them.