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Lobbying 101

Lobbying

Example: "Senator Smith, please vote yes on S.F.123 which would give all Iowans free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream for the rest of their lives."

= (talking to a legislator) + (asking for a specific action) + (action on a specific piece of legislation)

Grassroots Lobbying

Example: "Anyone who lives in Polk County, please call Senator Smith and ask her to vote yes on S.F. 123 which would give all Iowans free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream for the rest of their lives."

= (talking to a citizen) + (asking them to talk to a legislator) + (asking citizen to ask the legislator for a specific action) + (action will be on a specific piece of legislation)

Advocacy

Example: "’Iowans for Free Ice Cream’ supports S.F 123, which would give free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream to all Iowans for the rest of their lives."

= (talking to anyone) + (stating your position on legislation OR giving general information about the issue) + (could encourage them to do a general action)

Goals/Purpose of a citizen lobby visit:

  1. Familiarity – Elected officials need to see the human face of the issues and the citizen lobbyist provides that face. Getting to know the legislators makes it more likely that they will meet with you in the future.
  2. Press them to vote the right way on issues that will better society.
  3. Make them accountable for votes they have made already.

Principles

  1. Speak from the heart.
  2. Tell your story. It will be the most passionate thing your representative hears all day and it’s the easiest for you to remember.
  3. Use the facts. A few compelling facts will make your case. Make sure the facts have a credible source and use statistics in your story that will bring a face to the numbers. Also, make sure to discuss the local implications of your facts.
  4. Ask for one thing and stay focused. Never leave without asking your public official to do something. Make sure your request is clear and that you understand the response. This will allow you to stay focused and leave your official little room to avoid a commitment. Prepare for the meeting. The elected official’s job is to know the issues at hand. Citizen lobbyists add to the official’s knowledge and ask for a specific commitment. Know the official’s priorities, record, and major supporters. Also know the local impact and cost of the issue.

Know the Target

A significant component of lobbying is knowing whom to target and knowing about that target. Taking the time to map out who has influence over an issue and who has influence over that decision maker is one of the most effective tools for understanding an issue and creating change. The first critical step in pressuring public officials is determining which official actually has the power to do what is needed. This person is your target. Most of the time this is a simple matter of paying attention as public officials tend to be very outspoken on the matters people care about. When you are unsure of who can do what, just ask! Officials will be forthcoming about what lies within their purview. This will also be extremely helpful in the future as no one wants to meet with an official who cannot address the issue at hand. Next, research your target. Find out: Who is important to the elected official? To whom is she or he accountable? Does the official receive contributions and if so, from whom? Who are the major employers and institutions in the district and would they be affected by your position? Simply put, you are looking for the major influences already affecting this official. Ideally you want to get these influences to work with you.

Know the Issue

For a public official to take you seriously, the citizen lobbyist needs to know at least as much about the issue as the target does. Background research into stakeholders on both sides of the issue will help you understand the other forces acting on the public official. Come prepared to discuss the history of the issue and always be prepared to discuss the local impact of the issue. If the issue is a national or statewide issue, be sure to highlight how the issue affects the district that the public official represents. Lastly, only say what you know. A white lie or exaggeration can damage a group or person’s reputation.

Know the Solution

Come prepared with a solution that the target can enact. Be specific and direct. The more specific the solution the better. For example, instead of asking a legislator to write a bill, write it for them and ask them to introduce it. They will want to edit it and you must be prepared to work with him/her. If the solution is a vote, be prepared to discuss the specific merits/flaws of that bill. Every meeting should have one person asking the "pin down" question.

Tips for Lobbying:

  1. Identify everyone in the room. The elected official should know exactly who you represent, where your organization is based and how many members your group has.
  2. Be sure to point out which advocates are constituents of the legislator. Name tags make it very easy for everyone to be identified!
  3. Anticipate the arguments of your opponents. It is better to address your opponent’s arguments early in the dialogue. Do this directly and openly without being defensive.

Briefing materials should be just that; brief. Elected officials will read a well assembled one page fact sheet, but usually not much more.

 

The Citizen Lobbyist
HOW TO LOBBY