Types of Elected Officials Who Represent You
New Yorkers have representatives at all levels of government (city, state, and federal). Here is a snapshot of the representatives who serve you in New York City:
City
Mayor | City Council Member | Borough President | Comptroller | Public Advocate | District Attorney
State
Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Assembly Member | State Senator | Comptroller | NY State Attorney General
Federal
President | Vice President | Congressional Representative | Senator
How to Find Who Represents You
Enter your address and find out your representatives through Who Represents Me?
You can also find your federal, state, and local representatives through Common Cause, a database that helps you locate your representatives through any address. This platform provides you with your representatives’ office contact information, personal websites, voting records, etc., offering you transparency over that representative’s history in office.
How to Find Important Information About Your Representatives
Find your representatives’ stance on important issues in your community through Vote View.
This platform helps you review your representatives’ voting history. Enter the name of your representatives in their “Vote and Member Search” to see what bills they have decided on.
Find your representatives’ financial backers through Open Secrets! Get Local.
This platform shows you who’s making big political contributions in your state, as well as where the money is coming from. You’ll also find links to a money profile of your representative, giving a detailed look at who is contributing to their campaign.
Learn even more about your representatives.
Check out The Advocacy Institute’s “Interactive Legislature Snapshots.”
Tips for Reaching Out to Your Representatives
There are a number of ways that you can contact your representatives, including by email, physical letters, phone-calls, and sometimes, in-person meetings.
When reaching out to your representatives, consider the ACLU’s Guide to Writing Your Elected Representatives (summarized below). It is important to:
Introduce Yourself and Say What You Want
Tell your representative that you are a constituent and identify the issue about which you are contacting them. If your grievance pertains to a specific point in a bill, it helps to identify the number of the bill (every bill has an associated number).
Keep It Brief
Voice messages, emails or letters should never be too long and should be limited to one issue.
Have Three Main Points
Think about the top three points you wish to communicate that would be most effective in persuading your representative to support your cause or issue.
Make it Personal
Share your personal experiences, a story, and/or any relationship you may have with your elected official or their staff.
Remember That Your Voice Matters
Your Representative’s job is to listen to your concerns and opinions. Remember that they are there to help resolve issues faced by your community, that your point of view helps to achieve that outcome, and that YOU are the expert of your own experience.
Stay Connected and Up-to-Date
Keep track of your Representatives’ activities and priorities:
Follow them on social media platforms to receive regular updates.
Subscribe to your representative’s newsletter by going to their website.
Add their contact number to your phone so you can easily call if something comes up.
Sources
“Writing Your Elected Representatives.” American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives.