Page 8 - Contact Your Lawmakers Research

Contacting Your Member of Congress - Fact or Fiction? Research Project

Filling out a website comment form
Emily Ellsworth, a former staffer for Utah Reps.

Jason Chaffetz and Chris Stewart, has noted that
certain methods of communication are better than
others when it comes to getting lawmakers'

attention.

Ellsworth cautions against relying on email, website
comment forms or snail mail to make your voice
heard. According to Ellsworth, emails and letters

arrive by the thousands in congressional offices and
they are often sorted and responded to with

topic-centered form letters.

Website comment forms are scanned for key words

and a standard response is sent. In fact to prove
that point, a few years ago I filled out Florida

Senator Bill Nelson’s comment form and complained
about Micky Mouse insulting my wife and I
demanded a public apology from Micky, Minnie,

Goofy and Donald Duck.

I also demanded that Mr. Walt Disney be there

personally. I added certain “key words” that I knew
their computer algorithm would find.

It worked and I received a canned response about Nelson’s efforts to grow tourism in central Florida.

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