There are times when it's necessary to call legislators at the Capitol to make a last-minute appeal on an impending vote.
- Sometimes you need to make an appeal to your legislators. Find Your Representative and Senator here.
- Sometimes you need to make an appeal to a legislator(s) on a specific committee or upcoming floor vote. Find what legislators sit on which committees here.
- Call during office hours: 8am-4:30pm OR leave a voicemail.
- Most likely, you will be connected with a staff person in that legislator's office, so it's important to plan what you'll say ahead of time.
- Check our Take Action and Legislation webpages where we have call scripts and talking points ready for you on key issues impact our civil rights and liberties.
As with any other meeting or communication with your legislator, building a rapport is key. Remember to include the following things in your message:
- Who you're calling: You'll need to know which Senate district and House district you live in and the name of the legislator you're trying to contact.
- Who you are: Tell your lawmaker you’re constituent who lives in their district and about yourself. Are you a parent? Are you a business owner? Are you impacted by the issue you’re contacting them about?
- What you're calling about: State the House bill number or Senate bill number you're calling in reference to and what action you'd like the legislator to take (ie. "please vote no on HB XXXX!")
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Example: Dear Senator, My name is Jane Smith and I live in your district at 111 Rainbow Lane on Kauai. I am calling about HB 5 to make our employment practices more fair. I urge Representative/Senator [Name] to support these values and this important bill.
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Provide personal and local examples of the impact of the legislation.
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Set deadlines for a response. Ask when you should check back in to find out what your elected official intends to do about your request.
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Say thank you!
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Let’s debrief. We want to hear all about your phone call. Click here to report back on your call.