You may think that as a parent or a young person you could never have a meeting with an elected official. You are wrong. Most elected officials know their future rests on their relationship with the voters, which is why they devote so much of their staff's time to constituent services. Having elected officials hear directly from voters is a very, very important part of democracy. Don't forget – you are future voters, and politicians know that.

Getting in the door

This can be as easy as making a phone call to an office, or it can be so hard that it becomes a campaign in itself. Don't give up. In this case, the squeaky wheel ALWAYS gets greased. Some people spend up to six months negotiating for a meeting, but often find it has been worth the effort.

Some tips:

• Put the request in writing. Be prepared to send multiple copies every time a staff person tells you they did not get the letter.
  
  
• Follow up the written request with as many phone calls as it takes. Don't wait to be called back. After a polite amount of time (not too long), call again.
  
  
• If necessary, find an effective intermediary, someone who is more connected to the public official than you are, who can help you lobby for an appointment.
  
  
• Ask for an appointment for a group, rather than just yourself. Politicians like numbers, and want to use their time efficiently.
  
  
• Be prepared for multiple schedule changes. Don't take it personally. Politics is a very unpredictable endeavor.
  
  

Face to face with decision makers

• Be polite and respectful. Elected officials expect difficult questions and are not defensive.
  
  
• Go with a moderate size group. This means sharing the responsibilities of presenting the issue. When one person falters, another could step in. It also means that there are several witnesses to the commitments that are made by the elected official.
  
  
• Be clear about what you want. Have written information on your proposal.
  
  
• Make a specific agreement to follow up with the elected official. Leave phone numbers and addresses of the contact person.
  
  
• Write a thank you letter, reminding the elected official of his/her commitments, thus reinforcing the positive response, as well as leaving a paper trail for the future.
  
  

The attention span of an elected official

Most public officials are very busy, and many (sad to say) are better talkers than listeners. You have two jobs at a meeting:

• Getting their attention. They will be tempted with phone calls and numerous other distractions. You must get to the point as quickly and as dramatically as possible. You have about 90 seconds at the beginning of the meeting to pull them in. Practice a snappy, attention-grabbing opening.
  
  
• Doing more talking than listening. Having an elected official do most of the talking at your meeting when you are trying to share a problem is very common. Getting someone who talks for a living to listen (particularly a politician) is an art form. Some politicians lecture; some want to tell you their problems; some want to explain (and expect you to understand) why they can't help you. Sometimes this is flattering and it is always disconcerting. If you are ready for it, you won't be quite as manipulated by it. Without being rude, you must keep coming back to your issue, and not leave until you have said what you came to say.