Tips for Calling Your Representatives
From someone who answered these calls.
Last week, I posted the phone numbers for every U.S. Senate office nationwide, which you can find here. To look up your House member, visit House.gov and enter your ZIP code in the upper right-hand corner. You can call their Washington, D.C., office or any of their state/district offices. To send an email, go to your representative’s website; there should be an option under the “Contact” section.
Most importantly, don’t be nervous. There’s no wrong way to do this—unless you’re being rude or using profanity. You should be proud of taking the time to call. These are just some friendly tips, plus sample scripts to help you get started!
How to Call Your Representative
Introduce Yourself
Start with:
“Hi, my name is (NAME), I live in (CITY/STATE), and I’m calling to leave a message for (REPRESENTATIVE).”By stating that you’d like to leave a message, the staffer knows to take notes. They may ask for your address to verify that you’re a constituent—this is standard procedure.
State Your Message
For Democratic Representatives:
“I am deeply concerned about our country’s ability to withstand Donald Trump’s ongoing attack on our institutions and Elon Musk’s control over our data. I urge (REPRESENTATIVE) to speak out, hold community events, and assure us of the steps (HE/SHE) is taking to stop this threat. I encourage (REPRESENTATIVE) to use every tool available to push back on this administration and not give an inch to Republicans.”If calling a Senator, ask whether they will commit to refusing "business as usual" until they use every procedural tool available to block Trump’s nominees and stop the Trump-Musk coup.
For Republican Representatives:
“I am deeply disappointed in (REPRESENTATIVE)’s compliance with Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to dismantle our institutions. This constitutional crisis is doing irreparable harm to our country. When Donald Trump attempted to freeze all federal funding, including programs in our (DISTRICT/STATE), (REPRESENTATIVE) was complicit. Lawmakers take an oath to uphold the Constitution, and I expect Republicans in Congress to prioritize that oath over loyalty to Donald Trump.”
From here, the staffer will likely note your call and thank you. They may also discuss the representative's stance, offer resources, or provide an opportunity to sign up for district-wide updates.
Additional Tips
You’re encouraged to share personal anecdotes or explain why this issue matters to you. Staffers include these examples in constituent services reports, which are shared with the office to help gauge public sentiment. Your calls really do make a difference.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer them. If helpful, share your experience making these calls with other readers. Thank you for being here!
This is what I needed!
While I love this list, let me make it even easier. If you're disturbed about the reason you're calling, how would you explain your concern to your best friend? Write that down. THAT'S what you should be telling the legislator you're contacting. In your own words, tell him/her what's bothering you. Don't try to polish it. Write it just exactly as you would say it. (Don't forget punctuation. In my experience, most educated folks will judge the value of a person's ideas based on their perception of the writer's intelligence. They will often make THAT perception on something as simple as punctuation.
"Let's eat Grandma"
"I like cooking my family and pets"
Commas save lives.