MEETINGS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS

Find out who your State Representative and State Senator are by going to

www.house.state.mi.us

Click on Find your Representative Link,

(enter zip code, county, district or list of all reps)

www.senate.state.mi.us

Click on Find your Senator

(look up by name, district, your address/zip code, or list of all senators)

 Get their office location: number and building. 

Make sure you know what party they are in and which party controls the chamber in which they sit (House or Senate) and which party the Governor represents.

 Find out what committees they sit on. If the committee seems (by its name) to relate to your issue, keep this in mind when you communicate with them.

For state representatives, go to website: www.house.state.mi.us, click on Committees and find individual members of committees OR Click on List of Representatives, find individual rep, and it will list what committees he/she is apart of.

For state senators, go to website: www.senate.state.mi.us, click on Committees and find what senators make up particular standing committees.

 It is useful, but not essential, to develop a short handout to leave with the rep or senator and/or his staff - can be very short, outlining your issues. Bring 4 or 5 copies with you so that you have enough to share with the rep/senator and his or her staff.

Call their office to arrange the visit. Suggest specific times and dates.

 Get to the visit 5 minutes early.

Expect to wait a while for the appointment - most reps and senators and their staffs are very busy.

Set aside an hour, in your schedule, for the meeting, even though you should expect the visit to last no more than 15 minutes.

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare! Identify what is your issue, main points, and what you want to achieve. Have research to back up claims.

Keep it short.

Stick to main issue and points.

Provide personal and local examples.

Expect to see an aide, rather than the rep or senator him or herself. This is not a bad sign; it is only a sign of the hectic schedule kept by most reps and senators.

Do not personally attack anyone in the meeting. Be clear about the topic and your view of it and/or your recommendations. If you meeting is about a specific bill (as in the DCH Appropriations Bill, indicate this early in the meeting.)

Make sure that you are speaking as a private citizen and NOT as a representative of CMH (unless CMH has asked you to speak on behalf of CMH)

Thank official or aide, and send personal thank you note.