Make Your Voice Heard: A Guide to Testifying in Front of Your Local Government
Amplifying your voice allows your ideas to become part of legislative decisions.
Empowering your opinions and ideas in front of the government is one of the most fundamental components that the United States provides.
Getting involved locally is one of the best ways to start the engine of change and bring your ideas heard.
Voicing your thoughts and opinions on local issues makes for a better government organization since they use your input to make crucial decisions that impact the community.
Testifying in front of your local government can be an effective way to advocate for a cause or issue that you care about.
Here are some steps you can take to prepare for and deliver your testimony:
1. Determine the appropriate venue: Find out when and where the meeting will occur and which government body you will address.
Depending on the issue, you may need to attend a city council meeting, a county board meeting, or a committee hearing.
Research the rules and procedures: Before attending the meeting, familiarize yourself with the rules and guidelines for public comment.
Some jurisdictions require speakers to sign up in advance, limit the time for each speaker, or have specific rules about what can and cannot be discussed.
There are cases in that speakers can only attend the same governing body twice a month.
The rationale is that it allows different people access to testimony time — if that same body limits the number of speakers sharing their voice.
2. Prepare your remarks in advance: Think carefully about what you want to say and how you want to say it.
Write down your key points and practice your delivery. Keep your remarks brief and to the end.
Use quotes from members to connect with them, and consider using a personal story that shows how the issue impacts your everyday life.
3. Practice your remarks: Since most testimony on a local level is limited to a few minutes, take the time to practice what you’ve prepared. This will allow you to accomplish several things: 1. You’ll be very familiar with what you want to say, allowing it to flow more naturally when you speak.
You will be able to time what you are saying, allowing you to see if what you want to say fits within the time allotted by the chair of the governing body.
You can take things a step further and record yourself to see how you sound and if the message you want the elected officials to hear is conveyed through what you’ve written.
4. Be respectful: When addressing your local government, it is essential to be respectful and professional. Avoid personal attacks or insults, and stay focused on the issue. Also, consider mentioning something occurring in the district, and you could spark a conversation with the representative representing that district in real time after you’ve given your testimony. In some rare cases, the representative will even have their staff reach out to you to work through the issue and to get your thoughts on the matter.
Bring supporting materials: If you have written materials or other supporting documents, bring them with you to the meeting. This can help you make your case and provide additional information to the government body.
Pictures are also encouraged if they bring merit to your argument. Small enough is necessary, but some governing facilities will allow you to upload graphics to their system so the governing body and others in attendance can see the images you have supplied in detail.
Make sure to have enough paper copies for all the elected members you speak with in front, so they have something to give their staff.
When distributing, include your contact information (to whatever degree you are comfortable with), so they can follow up with you if needed.
5. Follow up: After the meeting, consider following up with the government body or individual members to thank them for their time. Be kind and open when contacting them and consider using some of the following phrases: “How can I help?” or “How can I help you understand on a deeper level what the community is experiencing?” or “Would you like the opportunity to speak on the issue with our HOA/Community group?” This will allow the dialogue to continue cordially and conversationally.
Elected officials rely on the eyes on the ground. And you are that asset to them.
Remember, testifying in front of your local government is an opportunity to make your voice heard and advocate for change that will improve your and your community’s lives.
You can make a difference in your community with proper preparation and a clear message.
Being civically involved is crucial to implementing quality legislation with your suggestions and is rooted in the experiences of those most impacted by those legislations.
CITATIONS:
- “How to Testify at a City Council Meeting,” City of San Diego, accessed March 20, 2023, https://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/council/comments.
- “Tetog Before Your Local Government,” American Civil Liberties Union, accessed Malocallytps://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/free-speech-protests-demonstrations/testifying-your-local-government/.
- “How to Testify at a Public Hearing,” National Conference of State Legislatures, accessed March 20, 2023, https://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/how-to-testify-at-a-public-hearing.aspx.
