E-mail doesn’t replace a personally signed letter, but when time is of the essence, it is a good way to get your message through. In general the same guidelines apply for writing e-mail messages as for writing letters to legislators.

• To find your legislator’s phone number, enter your zip code in the "Contact Your Elected Officials box on our Home Page.

•Make your message simple.

•Use a simple format. A fancy layout, graphics, or the newest program may not be able to be opened or printed easily.

•Do not include attachments. These are often deleted without ever being opened.

•Include your full name and address in your e-mail so that your legislator will know you are a constituent.

•Ask for a response to your message. Some members no longer respond directly to e-mail but use an auto-response.

Source: Adapted from Equipping Advocates to Empower Others
(Pittsburgh, Pa.: Division for Church in Society of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, 2001).

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