Do use the azleg.org website to determine which legislators to contact. Many of us work in different legislative districts than where we live. While it is always absolutely fine to contact any legislator, they are most interested in hearing from individuals who live in their districts, and will be voting constituents.
Do make your story personal. While we are posting a brief e-mail template here, it is meant to be an example only. Form letters and/or copy and paste is quick, but you will do a much better job of grabbing your elected officials’ attention if you talk specifically about your students, your families, your district, and the individual challenges you and/or they face, using first-hand examples.
Don’t just contact them when you are discouraged or feel they have “opportunities for improvement”. If you notice that your legislator voted favorably on a key legislative piece, take the time to say “thank you.” This will go a long way in helping to build rapport with them, and when you do have concerns, they may be more open to hearing them.
Don’t send a group e-mail to several legislators at once. This also goes for local government officials, such as school board members. Not only do officials appreciate being addressed individually, some will not even read or respond to this type of communication. Electronic communication among members of the same governing entity can constitute a violation of open meeting law if they respond, so they will often avoid these e-mails.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. The AzSCA Advocacy Committee is here for you, and would be happy to give you some more pointers on your particular advocacy strategy. Let us know how we can help!