Participate in the Legislative
Process in Oregon.
When the public has the opportunity to engage and have their concerns heard by the legislature, it results in a stronger connection between the people and their government. Learn ways to take part in the legislative process today.
Make Your Voice Heard in Your Local Community.
Consider writing a letter to the editor. The purpose of letters to the editor pages in newspapers is to give everyday people an opportunity to publish their views, comment on a recent article and respond to the issues of the day. This makes writing a letter to the editor one of the easiest ways to get your message across to thousands of readers.
Local News Media Outlets.
Letters (350 words or less) must be signed, accurate, free from libel, and include the writer’s name, telephone number, street address (which will not be printed) and city of residence for verification. (If your letter has not been published, you can call them at (541) 506-4601.
The Oregonian/OregonLive
1500 S.W. First Ave., Suite 400
Portland, OR 97201
Letters of no more than 250 words must include your full address and daytime phone number, for verification purposes. Letters are published with the author’s name and city of residence.
“We’re blessed with the opportunity to stand for something—for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to.”
— President Ronald Reagan
How to Write an Effective Letter to the Editor.
Be timely. Write the letter as close in time as possible to when the issue arises. Web submission forms are the fastest way to get your letter into the hands of the editor. Timeliness is critical.
Be respectful. Name calling, personal attacks, and crude language are not persuasive and may prevent publication of your letter.
Be original. Express your opinion in your own words. Form letters are rarely published.
Be concise. Make one or at most two closely related points and give persuasive reasons or evidence to support them. Be sure to identify the issue at hand in the first couple sentences. Readers often lose interest if a letter is too long. Aim for fewer than 200 words.
End your letter with a specific call to action. Be sure to specify who you are calling to action, even if it is just your own community. Use the names of specific legislators or officials as you suggest appropriate solutions to a legislative matter.
Edit carefully. Spelling and grammar mistakes detract from your point. Before you submit it, always ask someone else to read your letter to look for errors and to be sure that your points are clearly made.
Include complete identification. Always include your name, address, and phone number. Most media outlets will not publish your address, but they use it to verify the authenticity of the letter. Failure to include this information is the most common reason letters are not published.
Follow up. If you really want your letter to be especially effective, follow up by sending a clipping of the published letter and a brief cover note asking the legislator or official about the issue.