Contact Legislators to Make a Difference
You can help the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards by contacting the Representatives and Senators who represent you in the Legislature. Effective lobbying requires both constituent contact and direct lobbying efforts. Below you will find below instructions on how to determine who represents you, and how to locate their contact information.
Legislators are dependent on your vote, as their constituent, and are always anxious to hear from you and to learn of your interests and issues.
Even a brief telephone call to a Legislator will assist the Association with its legislative issues. You can contact a Legislator at their office back home or in their legislative office. A Legislator is more likely to remember you if you reach them while they are home in their District.
When you call, be sure to identify yourself by your name and by the name of your ABC Board. You should also add that your ABC Board is an active member of the Association. You should convey early in the conversation that you are a constituent. If you have any kind of existing connection, you can lead in with a reminder of that connection. You can close by asking them to let you know if they have any questions or need any information on any issues related to alcohol issues.
It is not necessary to have a long conversation. Nor is it necessary to call. If you prefer to write your Legislator, a personal letter or short note is also a good idea. If you write to their home address, it is helpful to send a copy to the legislative address. Emails come to Legislators by the hundreds while they are in session, so they are read far less than personal letters or notes.
The point of these communications is to establish, or further, relationships with your Legislators, and to let them know you are interested in their activities in the General Assembly. This conveys to them that you and your Association are politically active and are involved in the legislative process. When an issue comes before the General Assembly, you want them to remember the ABC Board back home, and to thoroughly consider the position of the Association on any legislative issue.
Contacting Your Legislators Can Make a Difference
How To Identify Your Member of NC House and/or NC Senate:
- Follow this link: https://www.ncleg.gov/RnR/Representation
- Type your address in the box above the top right portion of the map of North Carolina, and the names of your legislators will appear in the “Results” section.
- Click on the name of your “NC House” member or “NC Senate” member to go to the legislator’s home page. The home page has the legislator’s contact information, including the legislator’s telephone number and email address.