As human communication continues to evolve, researchers and others have remarked on how these changes affect society. I have noticed this evolution myself in the way constituents choose to make contact.
I average around 100 or so emails per day during a legislative session. The overwhelming majority of these are form emails. In that dynamic, even emails with a personal note and a few details about an issue will grab my attention. In the digital age, what stands out most is a handwritten letter and the personal effort it represents. During an entire legislative session, I may get as few as a dozen genuine old-school letters.
As a civics teacher and also an elected official now for the past 12 years, I've found that many, who want to be engaged in the political process, aren't quite sure where to start. Political advocacy groups frequently create a form letter for people to send to their elected representatives.
I'm always heartened when people want to be engaged and have their voices heard. I also urge people to take a few moments to put into a personal email or handwritten letter why the issue matters to them and the outcome they desire. If the goal is to be impactful, the message will resonate exponentially when it's not contained in a form email.
While I encourage individuals and organizations to abandon form emails, I also enthusiastically support personal communication. In Minnesota, a state Senate office is comprised of a senator and one assistant. While every member is different, I return my own phone calls, write my own letters and answer my own email. Hearing from constituents helps me understand issues better from multiple angles and with real-life examples.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the case of the Duluth Seed Library last fall, communication from constituents alerted me to a problem. They took time to communicate with me how they loved its creation and hoped I could work on finding a solution to keep the library open and compliant with state law. As a direct result, a bill to fix the library's compliance issues was heard in a Senate committee hearing just last week. I expect that bill to become law this session.
People should think about what they are trying to communicate and which method will be most effective. Receiving a letter, a personal email or phone call from someone who feels passionately about a topic will always be more effective than a form email that could have been sent by anyone to anyone.
Next time an issue you care about arises, pause before sending the form email. Instead, consider spending a few moments to craft your own unique communication. I promise you, the extra time will be noticed.
Roger Reinert, DFL-Duluth, represents District 7 in the Minnesota Senate.
