E-mails Impress Elected Officials
by AFA Journal
September 26, 2005
(AgapePress) - When it comes to communicating to members of Congress, e-mail has become one of the primary methods employed by pro-family groups, among them the American Family Association. And according to a recent study, AFA is not alone. Over the period from 2000 to 2004, the number of electronic messages -- mostly e-mails but also the use of fax machines -- sent by citizens to the House of Representatives doubled to 99 million and tripled to 83 million in the Senate, according to an article in the Washington Post.
"This is why we encourage our supporters to take the time to e-mail members of Congress when we give them an opportunity to do so," says AFA's director of special projects Randy Sharp. "And it is even better if the voter will add a personal note or two before hitting the 'send' button on the e-mail message. That really gets the attention of those in Congress."
The study was conducted by the Congressional Management Foundation, which noted that the skyrocketing numbers of electronic communications to Congress is often frustrating to congressional staffers. Nevertheless, congressional aides say they believe the increasing use of technology is positive. The Post story said 80 percent of staffers believe that the Internet has made it easier for constituents to get involved in the political process, and 48 percent say they believe that increase in communication has made members of Congress more responsive.
While congressional aides rarely read each e-mail, they do take note of them, usually counting the number of communications to get a sense of where constituents stand on a particular issue.
B.R. McConnon, president of Democracy Data and Communications, a company which helps interest groups communicate with Congress, told the Post that e-mail is here to stay. "The use of e-mails to Congress is going to continue to grow significantly. There isn't a more efficient way to get messages to Congress these days -- and that's just the way it is."
This article, reprinted with permission, appeared in the September 2005 issue of AFA Journal, a publication of the American Family Association.
