Be a Lobbyist

Retirement. Learning Results. Health insurance.
School funding. University of Maine System funding. Community College funding.

Whatever the issue, whatever your interest, to effectively influence decisions by the Maine Legislature, you need to make your voice heard as a grassroots lobbyist. Here are eight tips on working with your legislators:
1 Be informed. Effective lobbyists are well-informed. Know your legislators and their views; know the issue and the proposed legislation, including the bill’s legislative document (LD) number.
2 Be honest. Credibility is invaluable. When you talk with legislators, tell them the truth - every time. If you do not know the answer to a question, just say "I’ll find out" - then find the answer and get back to them.
3 Be persuasive. All politics are local. Don’t talk in generalities. Talk about the impact on your school, your students, your program, your life. Support your argument with data and rationale. Give examples from your own experience. Make your concern come alive by showing the impact on real people.
4 Be courteous. Basic human relations are key to lobbying. Don’t threaten, whine, beg or bark. A calm, reasoned approach with documentation will accomplish more than an emotional outburst.
5 Be informative. Become a dependable source of information for your legislators. Don’t wait for some hot issue to provoke action – communicate regularly.
6 Be supportive. The best way to build a relationship with a legislator is through an election campaign. If you have legislators you like, support them with money and campaign assistance.
7 Be helpful. Legislators need to get their message out and hear what the voters are saying. Help them out by inviting them to your school, association meeting, or community event.
8 Be an advocate. When you work with legislators, please present the Association’s positions on issues. If a legislator responds favorably, or unfavorably, please communicate the position to the Maine Education Association’s Government Relations Department.
Contact your legislature! Be a Cyber Lobbyist