calling your legislator

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "calling your legislator" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the act of contacting a government representative to express opinions or concerns about legislation or policy. Example: "If you feel strongly about the new bill, consider calling your legislator to voice your opinion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"It's a one-click option for calling your legislator".

The New York Times

Know what's happening and support where you can by donating, making your voice heard publicly and calling your legislator".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"When the governor was doing his town hall meetings, I can't tell you how many times he said, 'Call your legislator, I want to make these changes;' " Mr. Sweeney said in an interview later.

The New York Times

For anyone living in Alabama, or states considering emulating Alabama, it's time to call your legislator, before you have to drive 186 miles and back to vote for or against that person.

Huffington Post

Write and call your legislators and let them know you want action, and you want action now".

The New York Times

Call your legislators today and tell them you think 100% of the permits under a cap-and-trade system should be auctioned.

Huffington Post

He wrote back, "If you live in one of the forty states that have not yet signed on to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact write — better, call — your state legislators and ask them to get on with it.

The New Yorker

"You should call your state legislators," he said, "and say, 'I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!' " He echoed the classic rant from "Network," a line that ranked No. 19 in a list of the top 100 "movie quotes" compiled by the American Film Institute.

The New York Times

I urge you to call your state legislators today and tell them you reject these cuts as a stopgap solution to long-term inequalities that women face.

Huffington Post

This is crunch time -- time to call your friends, your neighbors, your legislators.

Huffington Post

That was the formalistic view that ultimately prevailed in the case: Call on your legislator, not the courts.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always identify yourself as a constituent when "calling your legislator" to ensure your concerns are given appropriate consideration.

Common error

Don't assume your legislator is already informed about the specific issue you're concerned about. Briefly explain the context and your position to ensure they understand your perspective when "calling your legislator".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "calling your legislator" functions as an imperative or gerund phrase, commonly used to urge or describe the act of contacting an elected official to voice opinions or concerns. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is indeed grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "calling your legislator" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, particularly in news and media, as confirmed by Ludwig. Its purpose is to advocate for civic engagement by directly contacting elected officials. While the register is generally neutral, it conveys a call to action for policy changes. To maximize impact, prepare specific points before "calling your legislator" and always identify yourself as a constituent. Alternatives include "contacting your representative" and "reaching out to your lawmaker".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

contacting your representative

Replaces "calling" with a more formal "contacting" and "legislator" with "representative".

reaching out to your lawmaker

Substitutes "calling" with "reaching out to" and "legislator" with the more informal "lawmaker".

phoning your elected official

Replaces "calling" with "phoning" and "legislator" with "elected official", specifying the method of contact and role.

writing to your assemblyman

Changes the action from "calling" to "writing", implying a different form of communication and changes "legislator" to the more specific "assemblyman".

getting in touch with your senator

Uses a more general phrase, "getting in touch with", and specifies the role as "senator".

communicating with your state representative

Employs a formal tone using "communicating with" and the explicit title "state representative".

speaking to your delegate

Suggests a spoken interaction, using "speaking to", and replaces "legislator" with "delegate".

petitioning your member of parliament

Implies a formal request or appeal, and uses the British term "member of parliament".

lobbying your congressional representative

Suggests a more active and persuasive approach, using "lobbying", and specifies "congressional representative".

emailing your local politician

Specifies the method of contact as "emailing" and uses the more general term "local politician".

FAQs

What is the best way to prepare before "calling your legislator"?

Before "calling your legislator", research the issue, prepare talking points, and clearly state your position and desired outcome.

What should I say when "calling my legislator"?

When "calling your legislator", start by identifying yourself as a constituent and briefly explain the issue you're calling about and your stance on it.

What are some alternatives to "calling your legislator"?

Instead of "calling your legislator", you can try "contacting your representative", "reaching out to your lawmaker", or "writing to your assemblyman" to express your concerns.

How effective is "calling your legislator" compared to other forms of communication?

Calling your legislator can be highly effective, especially when combined with other forms of communication like emails and letters, as it allows for direct and immediate expression of concerns.