Last week, I shared The Most Important First Step – KNOW WHO REPRESENTS YOU AND COMMUNICATE REGULARLY WITH THEM.

Today, I’m reaching out again to those of you who really and truly want to learn more about the world of policy and politics.

Each and every person elected to public office, LOVES serving there and THEY NEED YOUR VOTE to keep their jobs.

A single persistent and informed voice from the district can make a difference.

Ten informed and determined individuals — representing ten households and related job/social networks in a single district — will DEFINITELY make an elected official in that district sit up and listen.

You absolutely must submit testimony at public hearings, but focusing first and foremost on elected leaders in your own district is the key to leveraging your voice.

When you ask for support of a certain bill or issue, your district representative might respond in one of several ways. Below are some tips to help you navigate the excuses and political jargon that will inevitably be thrown at you.

1. S/he might say, “I’m not on the committee and there’s not a lot I can do. If it makes it to the floor, then I’ll try to support it.”

Translation: S/he probably isn’t interested in helping. The truth is no bill “makes it to the floor” unless it has the votes to pass. If your representative truly DOES support passing the bill/issue, they MUST lobby the committee chair and committee members for passage early in the process to ensure that it actually makes it to the floor.

2. Or s/he might say: “The votes aren’t there to pass that bill this year, and consequently leadership has decided not to move this issue forward.”

Translation: This is a tough or controversial issue, and a majority of legislators would rather not go public with their positions on this, especially during an election year. (See: cannabis legalization)

How do we know the votes “aren’t there”? Because this type of “preliminary vote counting” is done secretly, the reality is that no one really knows how our legislators would vote on these issues, if they were forced to vote publicly. But any legislator with integrity must be willing to advocate, facilitate, and push forward sometimes controversial measures that are in the broader community’s best interest.

AND as a constituent, you must be willing to help them overcome any political heat that might be forthcoming.

County Council caveat: Councilmember’s who claim “the votes aren’t there” are either just guessing, or they’ve violated the Sunshine Law by consulting with other Councilmember’s on an issue outside an open public meeting.

3. S/he might say: “Oops, we’ve run out of time! According to the rules, the bill’s now dead.”

This is when you must remind your legislators that THEY are the ones who make the rules.

Deadlines are waived, extended, and ignored on a regular basis when “leadership,” a majority of members, or the Chair wants that to happen.

4. Last but not least, advocates and legislators alike should be reminded that bills “deferred in committee” and bills that “missed the deadline” are not dead, and may be scheduled for a hearing and vote at ANY TIME by the Chair and/or a majority of members.

AND, during the second year of a biennium session (such as THIS one) the prior year’s bills remain “alive,” and can be scheduled for hearings and votes at any time — including those previously “stuck in Conference Committee.”

Okay, my bad. Too much inside baseball.

But you get the picture.

1. Focus on those elected leaders who represent you and your district.
2. Take action by communicating with them regularly.
3. Align with other advocates who share your values.
4. Show up. Testify. Speak out.
5. Learn the process. Don’t accept excuses for inaction!

And of course, never, ever, quit.

Gary Hooser
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