Laying the Foundation

Identify an issue back to top

Anyone can propose legislation. In fact, legislators often introduce ordinances and bills as a result of problems that have been brought to their attention by individuals and organizations in the community. In choosing an issue, consider:

Is the issue immediate, specific, and winnable? Will your members be hurt or helped by what’s proposed? Do your members have firsthand experience with this issue? Will working on the issue help or hurt your organization and its work? Can you make a difference if you get involved? Will involvement build alliances with individuals and organizations that you would like to work more closely with? Will it build your organization in other ways? Will staying out of this fight hurt your credibility? What messages would you communicate? These and other issues are explored in “How to choose issues” in the Center for Community Change’s manual, How—and why—to influence Public Policy: An Action Guide for Community Organizations, http://www.communitychange.org/publications/pubpolicy.htm.
What are the facts? What are the politics? Who is affected by the problem? How? Are there realistic and achievable solutions? What real-life stories can you tell?

Galvanize partners and allies back to top

Lobbying strength is usually demonstrated by both the number and the range of people who stand with you. The broader your public support, the more likely legislators will pay attention and the more likely they will hesitate to side with the opposition.

Build a broad-based coalition. Seek racial, ethnic, geographic, and organizational diversity and also a range of skills, resources, and contacts. For more this see the Organizing and Coalition Building section.
Reach out to nontraditional allies. Joining forces with organizations that you normally do not work with will show broad support for your issue and your position.
Develop a network. Your coalition partners can lay the foundation for building a broader network of organizations and individuals who can be moved to action when needed, to make phone calls, write letters, attend hearings. Be sure to keep the larger network informed, engaged, updated, and prepared to take action quickly. For more on legislative networks, see “Developing Grassroots Action Through a Legislative Network” in The Nonprofit Lobbying Guide, available on the Charity Lobbying in the Public Interest website at http://www.clpi.org/publications/49-the-nonprofit-lobbying-guide-second-edition-by-bob-smucker-.
Brainstorm about supporters who are not active members of your coalition but who would be willing to support or oppose legislation you are working on.

Assess the political landscape back to top

Gather intelligence about where different legislators are likely to stand on your issue. Never go into the legislative process uninformed. You may find that officials you assumed would be with you are not and that officials you would not have thought to approach are in your camp.

What issues are various legislators interested in? How have they voted in the past? Whom do they usually listen to, if not you? Other elected officials? Clergy? Business? Other constituents? What do their constituents care most about? Who are their major contributors? You can get some of this information from legislators’ websites and newsletters. Websites such as Project Vote Smart (http://www.vote-smart.org) also contain useful information.
Know whether each legislator is decidedly for, decidedly against, or undecided. Is a legislator with you? Undecided? Staunchly opposed? Some legislators will already be with you, some you will never win over most will likely be somewhere in the middle. It’s the ones in the middle that you usually need to focus on most. Remember: You do not need to win everyone over; most times, you need only 50 percent plus one.
Do not hastily rule out any possibility. Legislators who do not sit on any of the relevant committees may feel strongly enough about your issue to fight for its passage through the legislature.

Targeting Legislators

The Democracy Center divides legislators into five basic categories, each requiring its own strategy:

1. Champions All issues need a group of lawmakers dedicated to being tireless, committed advocates for your cause. What they can do for you is make the case to their colleagues, help develop a strong inside strategy, and be visible public spokespersons. What they need is good information and visible support outside city hall or the legislature.

2. Allies Another group of legislators on your side can be pushed to do more, to speak up in party caucuses or on the floor.

3. Fence-Sitters Some legislators will be uncommitted on the issues, potentially voting either way. These are your key targets; your lobbying strategy is to put together the right mix of inside persuasion and outside pressure to sway them your way.

4. Mellow Opponents Another group of legislators will be clear votes against you but not inclined to be active. With these legislators, what’s key is to keep them from becoming more active, lobbying them enough to give them pause but not so much as to anger them.

5. Hard-Core Opponents Finally, there are those lawmakers who lead your opposition. What is important here is to isolate them; to highlight the extremes of their positions, rhetoric, and alliances; and to give other lawmakers pause about joining with them.

http://www.democracyctr.org/publications/manual/curricula/doc1.htm 1997

Size up the opposition back to top

It is always worth assessing what you are likely to be met with on the other side.

Who are your likely opponents? Are they effective? Aggressive? How well-organized are they? How well-funded? Who are their allies and supporters? Are they well-connected? Are they big political contributors?
What are the opposition’s arguments likely to be? How will you counter them?
Consider meeting with the opposition. You may gain valuable information about their position or find grounds for compromise at a later date. If you decide to meet, decide beforehand what you will cover and what you will keep confidential.

Prepare materials and spokespersons back to top

Although sometimes you may have to wing it, long-term success in the legislature depends upon being prepared.

Prepare your key arguments and messages. You have to both make your case and appeal to legislators’ self-interest since they usually have their own agenda. Know the opposition’s arguments and be prepared to refute them. Use facts, data, and personal experiences.
Educate your partners and allies about the legislative process, lobbying, and your key arguments and messages. Suggest that they communicate with key legislators before important decisions are made.
Prepare materials for partners and allies, legislative supporters, and the media: fact sheets, frequently asked questions (FAQ), sample letters, legislators’ contact information, talking points.
Stay in close communication with your partners and allies to track the responses they receive. Any statements of support or opposition they hear or indications of what might sway undecided legislators to your position is all important information to gather and use to craft next steps.
Support your sponsors. Keep them interested, engaged, and committed. Offer to do as much of the work for them as possible: prepare them for hearings, find cosponsors, draft documents. Equip your sponsors and their staffs with the tools they need to effectively move your legislation forward.