U.S. voters: How to contact your representatives

Much of the U.S. was snowed in this weekend, leaving people with lots of time to look at social media and follow the news — and it’s been a very upsetting time to do either.

Many voices are crying out in anger, outrage, heartbreak, and frustration — and justifiably so. But if we spend too many hours glued to the news, if we are too “chronically online,” we risk numbing our emotions, as Venerable Fulton Sheen warned us.

Don’t mistake our meaning — we all have a duty to keep ourselves informed. And the things happening right now are exactly the “real problems… [and] social injustices” that Sheen said should arouse our strongest emotions.

But spending four hours on social media arguing with strangers is unlikely to effect any positive change.  

We want to spend our valuable time and energy on something that will have a real impact. We want things to change for the better, and quickly. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us:

So what can we do that actually will have a positive effect? We recommend contacting your elected officials. (And taking some other concrete action like volunteering or donating to reputable organizations that support the causes you care about.)

With all the tension in the U.S. today, whatever your politics, it can only help to make sure our elected representatives know our opinions.

Here are a few quick steps to contact your representatives and make your voice heard.

Phones in congressional offices are answered by staff assistants and interns — who are usually recent college graduates or students. Don’t be scared to talk to them. Instead, picture your niece or grandson in college and realize that’s the kind of person who’s going to pick up the phone.

Don’t want to talk to a live person? We get it. You can call during an evening or weekend instead and leave a voicemail. Just make sure you leave your street address and zip code on your message to verify you are a constituent, ensuring your voice is counted in official records.

And it’s okay if you get emotional or tear up while on the call. This kind of reaction is not uncommon, and the staffers are used to it. Do speak with respect. Whether or not you voted for the representative, he or she is a person, with the same human dignity you have.

Find your current representatives: There are many ways to do this, and an easy option is Ballotpedia’s Who Represents Me tool. 

You can look up a script online for pretty much any issue, or simply say whatever is on your mind. Decide what you want your representatives to know, then go ahead and make that call or send that email.

People in power want to stay in power, so let them know what they can do to win or lose your vote in the next election. Elected officials do listen to voters, especially voters who won’t stop making noise. 

Your voice is one of your most powerful tools. If you’ve never done it before, let today be the day you call or email your representatives.