Washington County Enterprise-Leader
There Is An Art To Reaching Out
MORE SHORTCUTS TO CONTACTING LEGISLATORS DOWN AT CAPITOL Deadlines
While all of us love a good, positive telephone call from friends and solons in the midst of the state’s political machinery; not all telephone calls, texts and Twitter feeds to our elected solons ( lawmakers) meet that criteria.
Last week, I offered up some DOs and DON’Ts to e- mailing, writing and contacting state House or state Senators in the Arkansas Legislature.
This week, I will focus on telephone calls, texting and Twitter feeds to state legislators.
Almost every state legislator tells me they have one or two (or a select few) have as many as three telephones.
All admit at one time or another — they silently wish the cellphone was never invented.
Here are some hints I have gathered after years of trying to stay in touch with those down at the capitol.
DO call the House telephone number, 501-682-6211, during the session for House members.
DO call the Senate telephone number, 501-682-2902, during the session for state Senators.
DON’T call one number and expect to leave a message for both (a state senator and the state representative). The switchboards are set up for each chamber.
DO remember these phones are being answered by non-partisan (by training) folks who are there simply to receive your name; your phone number; who you are calling; the bill number you are calling about; and a very, very short message.
For example: I am (insert your name) from Farmington, I am calling for State Rep. David Whitaker, on HB 1101, please have him call me back at ( insert telephone number).
DON’T try to get the solon onto your personal schedule. If you want them to call you back, expect the call when they can return the call.
DO tell the operator if the legislator does or does not need to call you back. Example: I am (insert name), my phone number is (insert number) calling Senator Uvalde Lindsey on SB201. I am against that bill and want him to vote No on SB201. He does not have to call me back. Or I would like for him to call me back.
DON’T expect solons to call you immediately back. All the House committee meetings and sessions in the House chamber are streamed on-line and you can find the link and watch these sessions each day. A member sitting in on a committee panel cannot often get up and leave that meeting to talk with you on the telephone.
DON’T expect the House or Senate member to answer you back if your phone is blocked and does not show your telephone number on the caller ID.
ALSO, all calls to the House or Senate switchboard are only delivered to the solons desks in their chambers. The switchboard does not chase all over the capitol looking for the members.
DON’T expect the House or Senate members to call you back during the afternoon session of each chamber, unless things are moving very slow.
DO remember that the committee meetings are before and after the Chamber sessions are over during the day. Most committee meetings are early in the morning with all kinds of different caucus meetings being sandwiched in between.
DO remember that some solons will accept text messaging, if they know whom the text is from.
DO remember all phone calls, texts and even Twitter exchanges should be made with civility, clean language and even-tempered exchanges. Sending off a “terse” or “inappropriate” text, “threatening” email or “ugly” Tweet will probably not gain a response.
The solons do want to hear from you the voters.
Planned event, courtesy photos with information should be either emailed to wcel@nwaonline.com or dropped by the office at 128 S. Southwinds, Farmington, no later than Thursday at noon.
Classified and retail ads should be turned in no later than Thursday at noon.
For more information call 479-267-6502.