Visiting Your Louisiana Policymaker

Getting Ready

Identify your policymaker. Click here for your State Legislators. Click here for Legislators’ contact information. Click here for your BESE Member. Click here for a list of other key policymakers.

Identify your main concern or message. Make sure you can explain it simply and clearly.

Form your visit team. It is helpful to take along two or three other advocates that share your concerns and position.

Request an appointment. Identify yourself as a constituent and the issue you would like to discuss. A constituent is a person the legislator was elected to represent. 

Decide on the role for each team member. Decide who will take the lead, who will share the facts, and who will give personal examples.

Practice. It is a good idea to practice what you want to say before the meeting. This is really important when more than one person is going to the meeting. Call to confirm your appointment. Contact the office a few days before your appointment to make sure you are still on the policymaker’s schedule.

Steps

Introduce yourself.

Start with something positive. Thank the policymaker for their support in the past or for taking the time to meet with you.

Take charge. Clearly and briefly explain the issue you want to discuss, your position, and the action you want the policymaker to take. Provide facts about why they should take action. Share a personal story to support these facts.

Make a connection. Show how your issue or concern will affect the policymaker’s constituents and local community.

Be flexible. Meetings usually do not go exactly as planned. Your policymaker may bring up other issues that are unrelated. If this happens, try to steer the conversation back to your issue. Always be polite.

Leave time for questions. Do not answer questions if you do not know the answer. Say you will get back to them if you can find the information they want. Your LaCAN Leader can help you get the correct answer.

Provide material to support your position. Leave the policymaker with a fact sheet. The fact sheet should include the most important information about your issue and your specific request. It should be one page. Also leave them with your contact information.

End with thank you. Remember that your policymaker’s time is very valuable. Thank them for taking time to meet with you. Do this even if they did not agree with your position on an issue.

Follow Up

Take notes. While the meeting is still fresh in your memory, write down anything that is important to remember. This should include comments and commitments (promises) the policymaker made.

Send a thank you. Always send a quick thank you message. In the message:

• Repeat your main points,
• Remind the legislator of any commitments they made, 
• Give them any follow-up information you said you would provide, and
• Thank them again for the chance to meet.

Share your experience. If you met with your policymaker without your LaCAN Leader, be sure to let them know the results of your visit.

Other Tips

• Dress nicely.
• Get there on time.
• Always be respectful. Remember your goal is to create a working partnership.
• Do your research. It is helpful to know something about your policymaker and their position on your issue. This includes how they voted in the past.