Most congressional offices try to accommodate constituent requests for an appointment with the congressman. Telegrams emphasize your concern about an issue and the urgency of your message. Sending a telegram is becoming a less common form of communication with congressman, but these written forms of communication are still timely and usually more effective than form letters and phone calls. Petitions are another effective way to influence elected officials. Although a petition with 20 signatures does not weigh nearly as heavily with a congressional staff as does 20 personal letters, a large petition effort is a powerful means of communicating public opinion on a subject.
Petitions also communicate that support for a particular position is organized back in the district.
Personal letters are the most common form of correspondence with a congressman, and the most powerful. Congressmen and their office staff realize it takes time to write out a thoughtful letter, put a stamp on it, and put it in the mail. This form of communication is weighed most heavily by the Washington DC staff and your congressman. We will return in a moment to list a number of tips which will enhance their effectiveness. Like mailed letters, faxes are more powerful if they are personalized and well-written.