Contact your senators: Call their district offices, write them an email, go to a town hall, or set up a meeting with them while they’re in town.
Be timely, brief, and clear. Check the guidelines of your local paper, and make sure you stay within its limits on length. The talking points in this toolkit are a great way to get started, but make sure you connect the courts to issues in your local area. Explain how judicial nominations impact your community.
Find a news hook. Check your local paper and see if there is a recent article or event you can respond to. Make sure you refer to the article by name and date. Tying into a local news hook will make your piece much more likely to get published.
Start local first. Start with your hometown or school paper first, but reach out to other publications as well. Our courts impact everyone, and the media – plus your senators – will be looking for local perspectives.
Recruit your friends. Maximize your impact by asking others in your community to submit similarly themed letters to the same papers. The volume of letters will let editors know that this issue matters to your community.
Include a call to action. Emphasize the importance of protecting our federal courts, and make specific asks in your piece.
Send a copy to your senators. If your letter is printed, make sure you send a copy to your senators’ offices, or bring a copy with you to your next meeting. Make sure your message reaches their desks.
To the editor,
This is a pivotal year for our democracy. Senators need to hear loud and clear: Our country’s judicial system is in crisis and urgent action is required. The most recent Supreme Court terms have been filled with devastating decisions that will have lasting effects on our lives. Equal opportunity, separation of church and state, and the government’s ability to fight climate change were all significantly weakened by the radical decisions of the Supreme Court.
We need a path forward. And we need to build a better federal judiciary — one that protects our civil and human rights. The Biden administration and the Senate majority have made significant progress, but we cannot slow down. The Senate must strengthen our courts by filling every federal judicial vacancy with diverse nominees committed to upholding equal justice and protecting our rights. Judges on our district and circuit courts decide the majority of cases, and those nominated to fill these important roles must be our senators’ priority. There’s limited time, and they must act to confirm the nominees awaiting Senate action. There are nearly 100 judicial vacancies, and we need senators [A] and [B] to do their part to ensure the Senate moves to fill these seats with judges at all levels of the federal judiciary who will protect our rights.
Sincerely,
NAME
CITY