How to Hold a Meeting with Your Elected Officials
You don’t need to be a policy expert or a seasoned advocate. You just need to care, be prepared, and speak from the heart. This guide walks you through it, and applies to meeting local and state officials as well:
Advocacy Toolkit-Meeting your Members of Congress Guide
Engage with your Elected Officials
An easy way to engage is to use 5 Calls Civic Action – see the steps below.
AAUW members wanting an EASY way to contact their U.S. Senators and Representatives can use www.5calls.org . 5 Calls Civic Action is a non-profit that helps the public make their voices heard on numerous critical issues. Here’s how:
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Go to 5calls.org. Set your location. This step brings up photos, names, and phone numbers (D.C. and local) of your U.S. Senators and Representatives.
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Click on an issue from the list displayed on the left. The system displays a summary of the issue and where the issue currently stands in Congress.
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Dial the phone number of the elected official displayed below the summary. (If you do not want to contact that person, click the blue SKIP button to go to the next official in the list.)
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When the call is answered, speak to the person or leave a voicemail. A brief script is provided by 5 Calls. You may read the script verbatim, or customize it. If you leave voicemail, provide your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.
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When finished, click the blue button that represents the result of your call (Unavailable, Voicemail, Contact, or Skip). The system now displays the phone number for the next elected official. Continue until you have finished all your contacts.
That’s all there is to it! Research has shown that elected officials pay attention to phone tallies on issues. As the 5Calls website explains, congresspeople use call tallies and personal stories from constituents to support their positions when talking to colleagues. Congresspeople get regular call tally reports, letting them know how strongly their constituents feel about an issue.
You can also sign up to receive email updates from 5 Calls Civic Action. They also have an app you can download on your mobile phone.
Education Bills of the 2025 Colorado Legislative Session
The Colorado General Assembly tackled many education bills in the 2025 legislative session. Chalkbeat, a non-profit news organization focusing on education in Colorado, has posted an article spotlighting the education bills that passed and failed. Bills that passed comprise key areas such as school funding, book
bans, financial literacy, immigration enforcement, and cellphone use, among many others. To read the full article: Chalkbeat Colorado
AAUW Fact Sheet on Trump’s 1st 100 Days
AAUW National has published a fact sheet detailing the key executive orders and actions in Trump’s first 100 days. The Fact Sheet identifies the name and number of the Executive Order (EO), what it does, AAUW’s perspective and any lawsuits that have been filed against the EO. The Fact Sheet can be found here: 1st 100 Days Fact Sheet
AAUW National has Just Opened 2 New Funds
AAUW Public Policy fund, and Defending Public Education fund.
Donate when you renew your membership.
Colorado’s Office of the State
Long-Term Care Ombudsman
AAUW members may be concerned about the safety and welfare of family members residing in Long Term Care situations. The Older Americans Act requires every state to have an Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP). Colorado’s LTCOP serves residents in long-term care.
To learn about Colorado’s LTCOP click here: https://www.coombudsman.org/
