How to call your legislator
Calling your legislators is one of the easiest and quickest ways to make an impact.
To leave a telephone message for your State Representative or State Senator, call 1-800-282-0253. Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
After these hours, you can find the phone number for your State Representative by visiting the website of the House of Representatives at: www.ohiohouse.gov and the phone number for your State Senator by visiting: www.ohiosenate.gov.
Tips for calling your legislator
Calling your legislators is easy. Here are a few tips to ensure your success:
- Ask to leave a message for the legislator
Very rarely will you actually speak to the legislator who you are calling. More likely you will speak to an aide who should pass your message on to the legislator. When calling a legislator, you can either ask for the legislator to call you back or leave a message for the legislator.
- Keep the call short and sweet.
Each call should take only a minute or two. Make sure to include in your message:
Who you are (name and occupation, if relevant);
Why you are calling (if you know the number of the bill, you should include it. If not, make sure you state what issue you are calling about and your position on the issue); and
What you would like the legislator to do (i.e. vote for or against a bill).
- Speak slowly and clearly
It is likely that the person who answers the phone has been taking lots of messages all day long on a variety of issues. It is unlikely that they are an expert on the issue that you are calling about. You will have a better chance of making an impact if you speak slowly and clearly so the legislator’s aide can communicate an accurate message to the legislator.