NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin : Issues : Fact Sheets

Communicating with your representatives through lobbying is your right as a private citizen. Lobbying is simply the conveyance of ideas and opinions to encourage the passage, defeat or amending of legislation. It is important that representatives know the concerns and wishes of the people they are elected to represent.

1. Understand the legislative process.
Becoming familiar with how bills become law will help you propose better information to your representatives and track bills through the state legislature. Fact Sheet: How a Bill Becomes a Law in Wisconsin

2. Know who your representatives are.
Since you will be meeting with your representatives it would help to know who they are. Click here to find your elected officials.

3. Set up an Appointment.
Contact your representative’s local office to set up an appointment. Mention who you are and what legislation or issue you would like to discuss. Assume the meeting will be brief, about 15 minutes. If the representative is unavailable, it is useful to meet with a legislative aide. If you are meeting with more than one legislator, schedule meetings 30 minutes apart.

Visit the Assembly Home Page and the Senate Home Page to find the contact information for your representatives.

4. Understand your representative's positions on choice related issues. It is important for you to understand how your representatives voted in similar legislation in order to figure out what kind of appeal might work best. All legislators need to be lobbied, regardless of their position on reproductive rights. Pro-choice legislators need to know they have support; anti-choice legislators need to be kept aware of pro-choice pressure. Legislators who are not fully committed on either side are the key targets to influence.

Visit Are Your Legislators Pro-Choice? to find out how your legislators have voted on past choice related legislation.

5. Focus on one issue.
There are many bills proposed in the legislature around various issues. Narrow your focus to one issue and become very knowledgeable about it. This will allow you to be more effective when presenting information to your representative. Possible pro-choice issues include access to emergency contraception, prenatal health care, sexuality education or protecting the legality and access to abortion.

Visit our Legislation to Watch page to learn which bills NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin is currently supporting and opposing.

6.Research your issue.
In order to sway a representative’s opinion you will need to have strong beliefs backed up with accurate and current information from well respected sources. Try to research 3 talking points and basic arguments for your position. It is also helpful to know what bills related to this issue have been presented to the legislature. Relating a personal story to the issue shows your representative how the bill or issue affects real people. Practice by explaining your opinion to family and friends. This will make the actual meeting more effective and less stressful.

7. At the meeting.
Introduce yourself. Be sure to state clearly what issues you came to discuss, how you feel about them and why. Politely and firmly explain your position and back it up with clear, concise arguments. If you are asked a question you cannot answer, do not guess or lie. Say you’ll get back to them, and then make sure you do. Highlight how the issue impacts you or others. If possible, tell a personal story.

If you want the lawmaker to take a specific action, ask. If the legislator agrees with you, find out how you can provide support. Don't be afraid to ask the legislator how else he or she might help you (they might have a way to help you that you might not have considered). If he or she disagrees, find out why. Do not argue. You will be more effective in future dialogues if you build a respectful relationship with the legislator.

It can be useful to bring a written statement you can leave with the office that includes your position on the issues you discusses and your contact information. As you leave, thank the elected official or staffer for his or her time.

8. Follow Up & Thank You
After the meeting, it is courteous to send a thank-you note, in which you can include additional information about your meeting and any follow up items you promised to research. Continue to follow legislation related to your topic and keep in touch with your legislator. Be patient, persistent and positive. Remember, change takes time!

9.Tell NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin the results of the meeting.
Let us know how the meeting went and any interesting issues or facts that came up. Email info@prochoicewisconsin.org.