article written by Alex Gustafson
How does an average citizen make an impact on politics? Getting involved can seem daunting, but by following the steps below to engage and utilizing the many resources out there, you can be on your way to being a political influence. Staying informed, identifying your elected officials, communicating with officials, especially through calls and attending town halls, and writing public comments are all ways to make your voice heard!
Find Your Districts:http://bit.ly/1XIN2mQ
Senators:http://bit.ly/1kyGkev| Representatives:http://bit.ly/2zZsgdV
County Officials:http://bit.ly/1AknTSs
City Council:http://bit.ly/2jJg78H
References:
http://www.ucsusa.org/action/phone-calls.html#.WhPM42Q-f-k
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/22/us/politics/heres-why-you-should-call-not-email-your-legislators.html
References:
http://spinabifidaassociation.org/advocacy/top-10-tips-for-attending-a-town-hall-meeting-with-an-elected-official/
https://townhallproject.com/
https://fairus.org/activism-guide-how-attend-town-hall-meeting
https://www.ncoa.org/public-policy-action/advocacy-toolkit/meeting-with-congress/town-hall-tips/
http://archived.naccho.org/advocacy/upload/NACCHO-Top-Ten-Tips-for-Town-Hall-Meetings-April-12.pdf
References:
http://eli-ocean.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/Written-Commenting.pdf
https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/effectivecomments2015.pdf
https://publiccommentproject.org/
For the complete PDF of How to be a political influence,contact:https://smea.uw.edu/currents/how-to-be-a-political-influence-as-an-average-citizen/
Reprinted from December 12, 2017
SMEA is an interdisciplinary community of scholars addressing emergent environmental and social challenges affecting marine and coastal areas. We do this in ways that are responsive to equity and justice and by creating actionable knowledge, teaching, and engaging with diverse institutions and communities.