Advocacy Actions and Information:

Each section of the website has information on how and whom to contact but we’re
also providing a Directory of contacts and a summary of other ways we all can
take part in improving women’s health and safety. The blue links below will take
you directly to noted websites.

You may be surprised how much weight your phone call, letter, or email can have
on our state legislators and your neighbors. Take the time to let your representative
and community know how you feel. Click Take Action for information on how to
contact your representatives.

Notes on General Legislative Advocacy:

• To see what bills have been filed on a particular issue, go to the website for the Massachusetts Legislature, and enter the topic in the box that is marked Bills or Laws. You will be directed to a page that lists all current bills on file that relate to that issue in some way. Find the one you’re curious about, click the link and you’ll be able to view, download or print the bill as well as check on its status.
• To see what bills have been filed in the US Congress on a particular issue, go to the US Congress website.

If you are meeting with your State legislator, Congressional member or a member of their staffs, here are a few suggestions:

• Find out if there are others near you who are concerned about the same issue. Get to know them and work together.
• Do your homework, know as much as you can about the topic and the bill, and be able to explain why you support the issue.
• Know about your legislator’s positions and voting history. Go to Votesmart.org, enter your legislator’s name and you will find not only their biography, but their votes, positions, ratings and fundraising history.
• Chances are you will speak to one of their staff persons. That is a good thing because those staff people not only keep track of calls but collect information about who is supporting bills and why.
• Tell your story and keep it short!
• Thank the staffer.
• Write a short thank you note or email.

Social media is not as powerful as we might think because it’s easy to ignore and sometimes impossible to tell if you live in their district or state. If you do send an email, make it personal.

• Emails and letters are usually grouped by topic and counted, and mass mailings of form letters that address the topic generally are sent a form response. This is why responses rarely respond directly to your concerns and often feel impersonal.
• Your messages are tracked and put into reports for the representative to read, and staffers look at individually select a few.

Elections and Endorsements:

VOTE!!! Encourage everyone you know to register to vote, check their registration and encourage daughters, granddaughters, sisters, friends and family to do the same. This link will provide legislation information. The endorsement/election page contains links and information for Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee and Sandwich town clerks.

After voting, pay attention to how your state and local elected officials carry out their jobs, and keep their campaign promises. Keeping track of how they vote may bring some surprises.

Education and Outreach: 

• Sign up for our email announcements at Upper Cape Women’s Coalition.
• Join our endorsement team for your home town. Contact us at uppercapewomen@gmail.com to volunteer for Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee or Sandwich election teams.
• Talk to your neighbors and friends about candidates in every election and share information by writing an email to folks explaining just who you’re voting for. Many people do not receive the local newspapers, watch local news and radio or are too busy getting by to focus on local elections. They welcome considered advice from friends.
• Attend and organize standouts.
• Make a contribution of time or money to help us with our work at Upper Cape Women’s Coalition, PO Box 725, West Falmouth, MA 02574.
• Consider reading up on effective messaging. There’s a lot of research now that “persuading the persuadables” is a powerful tactic.
• Write a letter to the editor of local, county and state newspapers (See below).
• Network with other groups (See Collaborations).
  

Letters to the Editor:

Writing letters to the editor is a great way to raise awareness and spread the word about important issues. Letters to the editor can be used to correct and clarify facts in a previous news story, oppose or support the actions of an elected official or agency, direct attention to a problem, spur news editors to cover an issue that is being overlooked, or urge readers to support your cause. Letters to the editor are especially effective in local community papers.

Tips for Effective Letters to the Editor

• Research the guidelines. Most papers have a length limit on letters to the editor. It
  is usually around 250 words, but be sure to find out before you begin writing. You
  should also find out where to submit your letter (typically via email).
• Pick a timely topic.
• Find a local angle. Readers are more interested in an issue when they see how it
  affects their lives and communities.
• Assume nothing. Do not assume that your readers are informed on your topic.
  Give a concise but informative background before plunging into the main issue.
  Refer to any newspaper article or editorial to which you are responding by date and
  title. 
• Identify yourself. Papers require your name, contact information and address
  (though most only print your name and town or street on the letter. 
• Keep it short, focused and accurate. You should submit your letter on local
  issues according to your personal experience. Check references and data to be
  sure they’re accurate and if you quote data, consider adding a footnote so that the
  paper can verify your statement.
• Avoid form letters. Do not send the same letter to two competing papers in the
  same circulation area, or many copies of an identical letter to a single paper.
• Edit your document. Have some fresh eyes look it over for the requirements
  above. Finalize your draft.

Get Creative

• Throw a letter-to-the-editor party! Gather to learn about an issue and write letters to the editor to your local paper. This way, you’ll be able to support one another through the writing process and increase the likelihood that several letters will be published.
• Incorporate letters to the editor in your existing activities. For example, if you are
  having a speaker on school vouchers, ask everyone to write a letter to the editor
  about a state school voucher bill after the presentation.