Connecting You to the Legislative Process
Stay connected to what happens in pierre
Our 100% grassroots funded lobbyists work hard to keep our members connected to the legislative session, equipping members to directly engage in the legislative process, and keeping DRA’s values and priorities represented in Pierre.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED: A CITIZEN’S GUIDE
- Write a letter or email – In this era of mass media, legislators really do respond well to direct communication, especially to letters. They know that you have taken the time to sit down, think about the issue, and communicate your thoughts to them. A few letter and email tips:
- Keep it short and sweet: They are very busy during the session, and will be able to take your opinion into consideration better if they can quickly understand what you are writing about.
- Ask for a specific action: If there is a vote coming up, or if you want them to bring up a certain issue, ask them that directly so they know what you are asking them to do.
- Make a phone call – It can be difficult to get in direct touch with legislators during the session, but you can call the Capitol and leave a message or call them directly. Keep in mind they do not have a lot of time to talk, so be prepared to tell them quickly what you think or leave a short message with an intern.
- Attend a cracker barrel – Hosted in many South Dakota cities, cracker barrels (sometimes called legislative coffees) are attended by legislators throughout the session, and are a great place to ask legislators questions directly.
- Write a letter to the editor – While it is important to talk to your legislators about their votes, it is also important to let your community know what is happening as well. Most newspapers publish letters to the editor on an on-going basis. Check the paper’s opinion page or website for their submission requirements, and be sure to let us know when your letter is published so we can promote it as well.
- Hold a Zoom/virtual meeting around an issue – You know your neighbors best, and this is a very informal (and fun!) way of getting them informed and involved. If you want to host a virtual meeting around a piece of legislation or a particular issue, a DRA organizer can help you with how to get one going and how to run it. As always, personal connections are the best way to get the word out, and virtual meetings can even be attended by legislators.