You probably heard already, but there’s a lot going on across the federal government.  

In times like these, your members of Congress (MOCs) need to hear from you. After all, their job is representing you and your interests to the federal government. 

They need to hear how their actions, or inactions, impact you, your family, and your community — and you’re in the best position to share those experiences.

There is a wide variety of issues that impact you, your family, and your community that you may need to speak with your MOC about right now. The issues are likely to include one or many of the following: 

• A loved one’s health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs;
• Children in your community going hungry;
• How your personal health and tax information is being accessed and used by unelected and unvetted people through the President’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency;
• Your grocery bill (and nearly every other bill) that will likely go up in the coming weeks;
• The security of our country and the future of our democracy — which, let’s be clear, is in crisis right now;
• The dismantling of the agencies that protect citizens from corporate abuse and government corruption;
• The rising costs consumers will face as the trade war deepens and the tariffs’ impacts spread throughout our economy; and
• The future of public education. 

The federal government is taking action on all of these issues and more right now, which is why we’re calling on you to make your voice heard this spring. MOCs desperately need to hear from the people. That means us! 

How Can You Contact Your Representatives? 

You can speak directly to your MOCs at a “town hall,” meet-and-greet, community event, or at their state or district offices. And this is the perfect time to do so. 

Find Your Representatives

In the next three months, your members of Congress — senators and representatives — should be home, meeting with people in their communities during planned congressional recesses around March 15–23, April 12–27, and May 27–June 1. 

What’s a town hall? Why should I attend an event with my MOC? How do I find out if my MOC is holding or attending a community event? How do I prepare? What do I do if my MOC isn’t participating in anything? 

Those are all great questions! Let’s take them one at a time. 

What’s a Town Hall? 

A town hall is a meeting where elected officials or other government representatives bring together members of their community to discuss specific topics, hear directly from their communities, and answer questions. Town halls have been a staple throughout America’s history. When hosted by a MOC, they typically occur during government recesses, when MOCs are in their hometowns rather than in Washington, DC. 

Why Should You Connect with Your Member of Congress? 

Connecting with your MOC is not just a long-held tradition but is also critical in ensuring MOCs stay connected to your needs. Your community elected MOCs to represent them, so how can MOCs do that effectively if we, the people, don’t share our stories of impact? 

Additionally, speaking directly to MOCs forces them to put faces and names to the suffering and/or support they are creating/producing, which can be much more compelling than just hearing stories secondhand or seeing them on paper. We talk directly to MOCs at town halls to show them the impact of their decisions and hold them accountable for their actions or inactions. 

How Do I Meet with My MOC? 

To find out if your MOC is holding a town hall or participating in a community event, contact their district office. You can find your MOC’s local office information on the LWV Elected Officials finder. 

When you communicate with the MOC’s office to learn about events, also ask if there are restrictions on what you can bring. Town halls and other events often have security checkpoints, and they don’t usually let you bring in signs, so leave those at home. 

If your MOC is participating in a town hall or other public event, just attending the event can be a powerful action so that they know their community is paying attention. Your participation will be even more powerful if you come prepared to ask brief and pointed questions about what they’re doing to support/protect/promote your community and address the issues concerning you.  

If you’re comfortable, come prepared to share how recent actions by the federal government have impacted you, your family, and/or your community directly. It can be helpful to write down what you hope to share in advance, so you don’t leave out any important information.  

What if My Representative Isn’t Hosting a Town Hall or Public Event? 

If your MOC isn’t hosting a town hall or participating in other public events, you can: 

• Call their office or post to their social media pages and request that they host a town hall during the next recess (the time when Congress is not in session and MOCs are back home in their communities);
• Go to their district office (they’re usually open during normal business hours) and deliver a handwritten note asking your questions or sharing your story;
• Post on their social media pages asking them your questions or sharing your story; and
• Use the League’s online tool to urge your MOCs to stand up for our democracy.  

Wherever you live, whatever issues you care about, whatever your story, your MOC needs to hear from you! 

Contact your MOCs today, and then ask three friends to do the same!