When Should I Contact Staff?
Don't neglect the legislator's staff when contacting his/her office. Some professional lobbyists spend as much time with staff as they do with legislators. That is because a legislator's staff can be very powerful and can have influence in the legislative process. Often a legislator will rely on a staff expert when he or she is not familiar with an issue. Getting an appointment, too, can be easier if the staff member who sets the schedule knows who you are.
State legislators usually have only one or two staff members--both of whom would be located in their capitol office. The staff person responsible for legislation and constituent relations can be a good person to know. When you need information or want to know how the legislator stands on an issue, his or her staff can be very helpful.
U.S. Representatives and Senators have large staffs. They may have one or more offices in the state as well as an office in Washington, D.C. Each Senator and Representative manages staff assignments differently. As a general rule, however, the district or state director is responsible for appointments when the legislator comes back to the state. The district staff is responsible for constituent case work and local projects. Legislative staff is located in Washington, D.C. One of the Representative or Senator's legislative aides is usually identified as having responsibility for health legislation. Get to know the health legislative aide and the staff members responsible for scheduling appointments.
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