 What is the “Adopt-a-District” program?
While we vote for State Representatives once every two years, and once every 4 years for State Senators and Constitutional offices, the bulk of our politics happens in between elections.
Political advocacy is about developing relationships by getting personal. Our legislators and policy makers work for us and if we want to have an impact on turning around the State of Illinois we have to do much more than showing up on election day once every two years.
Most legislators are personally interested in just a handful of
public policy issues. On other issues, legislators depend on input from
people whose opinions they respect, trust and even sometimes fear. Most
legislators strive to be responsive to the constituents who elected them
to office, and are accountable to them on election day.
Many citizens who complain about the state of government in Illinois don't make the effort to call, write, or meet with their legislator and their staff. The Adopt-A-District program sets out to change that by giving people the education, activism tools and encouragement they need to make a meaningful difference and help turn around the State of Illinois.
That’s where you come in! Join the 141 citizens who have already Adopt-A-District district liaison in Illinois.
Getting Started
Step 1: Locate & Identify your Illinois House & Senate representatives at this website.
Step 2: Contact Brian Costin, at bcostin@illinoispolicy.org informing him of your name, address, phone number, and (if possible) what legislator/district you would like to be a District Liaison for.
Step 3: Get familiar with your legislator on the issues. Use our 2010 General Assembly Vote Card and our 2011 Mid-Term General Assembly Vote Card see how your legislator voted on the issues.
How You Can Help
Once you’ve become a District Liaison for the Illinois Policy Institute and “Adopt-A-District” there are many opportunities to help. Our District Liaison can help us by doing ANY of the following tasks.
- Sign up for your legislators email list and stay informed.
- Attend a town hall meeting.
- Meet your legislator. Set up an in-person meeting with your legislator at their district office or in Springfield.
- Use the Illinois Policy Institute’s policy research & legislative proposals to make your meetings more effective with your legislator.
- Ask your legislator to sign our Repeal the Tax Hike Pledge.
- Ask your legislator to sign our Transparency in Government Pledge.
- Ask your legislator to sign Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
- Forward our weekly compass e-mail to your legislator and friends.
- Write letters to the editor on important issues emphasizing legislators good or bad votes.
- Form a voters club with multiple constituents of district to maximize contact with elected officials.
- Start a Local Transparency Project within your district.
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