Calling Officials
Telephone calls are also a convenient way to communicate your messages to organizations, including government officials. In most cases, unless the official knows you personally, you will probably be unable to speak with him or her directly. Instead, you will more than likely be referred to the staff member responsible for attending to the public. Keep your message brief and to the point, and don’t forget to personalize your story.
Following this helpful format when calling a local, state or federal official’s office will be helpful:
- Keep your call brief and to the point.
- Identify your organization and the issue about which you are calling.
- Express your opinion and the reasons you feel the way you do.
- Be specific about what you wish the official to do.
- Be courteous and understanding of reasonable differences of opinion.
- If you would like a reply, request a written response and provide your name and address.
- Follow up your telephone call with a letter that reiterates your message and explains the issue in more detail.
Using the Internet
Many public officials maintain e-mail addresses and websites, which are quickly becoming a popular means of communication with government officials. However, most offices still rely mainly on postal mail and personal relationships. Also, some government offices are better able to receive and respond to electronic mail than others. For example, there still exist a huge gap in technical capabilities of many public officials to manage their mail accounts and there are great differences in the technical capabilities and policies among others who know how to do so.
When using e-mail, we recommend starting your correspondence by identifying yourself as an organization or a constitute representing a broad-based coalition of like-minded citizens. Be sure to give your full name, address, phone number and e-mail address, and use the proper salutation in all e-mail correspondence. We suggest you follow the same format for an e-mail as a postal letter.
Officials do not always reply to e-mails unless a personal relationship exists. Many officeholders only take notice of business-related e-mails.
Communicating with Candidates
Elections at all levels of government often help draw public interest and media attention to specific issues. During campaigns, candidates focus their attention on issues they believe are of greatest concern to the voters. This is where you and your organization can be most successful. By demonstrating that a diverse group of voters care about a particular issue, your organization can help push Muslim specific issues to the forefront of public debate. Take the issue of hijab in Lagos State public schools as an example. This is the best time to engage candidates from various political parties vying for offices on that specific issue. Ask them about their views on hijab in public schools and ask for their commitment to secure and preserve Muslim rights to express their religion, including in public schools. The hijab may not be the front-line issue in your state or area, but there must be an issue that is close to the heart of the Muslim community or as a Nigerian, an important issue you wish to see taken care off by the candidate if elected. Early communications during a campaign can also help lay the groundwork for a strong relationship with the candidate and his or her staff after the election.
Some Tips for Communicating with Candidates:
Be specific about what you want a candidate to support or oppose.
Work as an individual or at best, in a coalition. If the issues involve non-Muslims, be sure to seek and include allies from the non-Muslims in your coalition. Provide candidates with detailed information about the coalition, its members and the specific issues. Be sure to include easy-to-understand charts, numbers and statistics that candidates may find useful when discussing the issues publicly.
Provide personal stories. Candidates like to personalize their messages and talk about real people. Offer to help candidates locate individuals who can testify about their own experiences and how important the issues have been to them.
Invite candidates to address the coalition or your mosque, organization. Be sure to create an event that meets the candidate’s needs, your coalition’s needs, and is conducive to media coverage.
Lastly, keep your call brief and to the point.
Lobbying Kit
