The following is a message from Chris Walker, State Director for Convention of States Virginia.
Two weeks ago we started a multi-part series, prompted by achieving 30,000 petition signers and exceeding more than 4,000 volunteers in Virginia.
The initial challenge we set for you was to download and read our free Convention of States Pocket Guide. If you have not already, please do so now.
COS Virginia’s only resource is the voluntary effort of citizen-activists like me and you. Our success depends upon more volunteers joining actively in our fight for the nation’s future.
Legislators generally see the light only once they have felt some heat. A steady chorus from constituents demanding they support our COS resolutions is needed to gain their vote.
Convention of States Project works hard to provide tools that make engaging our state legislators as quick and easy as possible. Please follow the steps below to begin using one such tool we recently introduced.
Challenge: Click here and fill in requested information, receive up-to-date talking points and instructions for calling your senator and lower house delegate.
Task: Become accustomed to quick and easy outreach to your elected state representatives.
Considerations: The process of getting our resolutions passed in Richmond begins now, before our resolutions are even pre-filed in July, and long before committee hearings in January and floor votes next February. Consider this:
- One of the biggest differences between Washington and Richmond is that small numbers of constituents can dramatically influence the latter. A state delegate, for example, represents about one-tenth the number of citizens as a member of the U.S. Congress. Your one voice has greater impact with your state legislators—exactly why the Framers designed our “federalist” system as they did.
- The only way we succeed is if your delegate and your senator hear from enough constituents like you. Take a moment now to call them both and ask for their commitment to support and even co-sponsor our Convention of States resolutions in 2019.
- We have made it as easy as possible to get engaged and stay engaged. This simple task will take around five minutes, including the phone calls! Start using our tool now so that it’s second nature when the General Assembly is in the throes of passing legislation early next year.
