As a Marylander, one of your greatest responsibilities is to help
elect the legislators who represent you and the state's 5 million
other residents. But your role in the democratic process of
government does not end at the polls. By sharing your opinions and
ideas with your Delegates and Senators in Annapolis, you help them
decide what to do about the issues and pending legislation that
affect us all. We value your suggestions and encourage you to
express them.
Your legislators receive a great number of phone calls and mail
from their constituents. How then, can you be sure your voice is
heard? Here are some tips to help you get the most impact out of
your communications with your legislators in Annapolis.
General Tips:
Make sure you understand the legislative process. Even the most
basic understanding of the process will help you effectively express
your ideas. Contact your legislator about a particular issue before
the Legislature takes action on it. Use a variety of communication
methods. You might choose to telephone, write, e-mail, fax, or visit
your legislator. You might also choose to give testimony at public
hearings held by the Legislature. (To give testimony, you would need
to contact the appropriate committee secretary before the hearing to
sign up.) Tell your legislator what effect you think a particular
bill, if it becomes law, will have on you, your children, business,
or community. Be concise, but specific.
Be polite, even if you disagree strongly with the legislator you are
addressing. Lawmakers cannot please everyone. Your communication
will be more effective if you are reasonable in your approach.
Suggest a course of action and offer assistance. Don't make promises
or threats.
When writing your legislator:
Address letters to senators this way:
Senator Nancy Jacobs
403 Senate Office Building
Annapolis, MD 21401.
- Type or print legibly.
- Sign your name neatly and give your address correctly so
they can respond to your letter.
- Keep letters, e-mail, and faxes brief. Never write more than
one page. Written correspondence that is short and to-the-point
is more likely to grab and keep the reader's attention.
- Identify your issue or opinion at the beginning of the
letter, don't bury your main point under voluminous text. Cover
only one issue per letter.
- If you have another issue to address, write another letter.
- Back up your opinions with supporting facts. Your letter
should inform the reader.
When telephoning or visiting your legislator:
Our phone number is: 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3158 or (410)
841-3158.
Plan your call or visit carefully. Keep to the point and
discuss only one issue. Organize your thoughts ahead of time and
make notes to help you stay on track. When planning to visit your
legislator, make an appointment. Don't just drop by your
legislator's office and expect him or her to drop everything to see
you. Call or write for an appointment as soon as you know when you
are going to be at the Capitol. Prepare a one-page fact sheet
concerning your issue to give to your legislator. This will help him
or her better retain what you present.
Contact Senator Jacobs Via Email
Please click on this link for our email
form.
Note: for any e-mail messages, please include your regular mail
address so that we may send you a reply, should you desire one.
Detailed responses to e-mail are by regular mail only.
