Introduction: Three Ways to Lobby

There are three ways to lobby: visiting board members; getting cards and/or phone calls to them; and focusing direct action on them. The first is essential. The second, if you have the resources, is always helpful. People are divided about whether the third works at all. In any case, it should be used selectively.

Planning Your Lobbying Campaign

The first step in planning a lobbying campaign is to take stock of your resources. If you are planning to lobby a small city council, and you have a large campaign, you might be able to lobby every member and to visit each frequently. If you need to lobby a representative town meeting (a form of local government with many representatives) or a large board of trustees, and your organization is fairly small, you’ll have to focus your efforts on a portion of the board.

Even if you will be able to carry on a fairly comprehensive lobbying campaign, set priorities right at the start. Generally speaking, put the greatest effort into those individuals who are not committed but whose votes you think you might sway. Include in this group people who have taken a position but who don’t appear to have a firm view. The second order should be those who have told you they support you, but who are neither sponsors of your proposal nor working directly with your organization. You need to keep their votes. The committed opponents come last.

When you divide the council into these groups, keep three things in mind: First, never assume that you know how someone is likely to vote on the basis of stereotypes. Politics is full of people voting against type, and people are more likely to cast unexpected votes on civil rights for LGBT people than they are on most issues. You need hard information.

Second, don’t ever completely give up on anyone. Virtually every organizer who has worked on a civil rights policy has triumphant stories of implacable opponents who were turned around by a well-thought-out approach or an unpredictable event.

Third, don’t ever assume that a vote is completely safe until it has been cast. Virtually every organizer also has stories of betrayal by a supposed ally. These stories are often accompanied by rueful admissions of not having kept tabs on the ally.

Identifying Allies and Opponents

Identify likely allies and likely opponents not only among members of the board, but in other political positions. You may pick up votes on the board by getting the endorsement of an official who is not on the board, but who is a close ally of a board member or who the board members think they need to cultivate. Members of part-time boards frequently rely heavily on the advice of other officials and bureaucrats. Figure out which individuals may be influential in getting support on the board.

There are many ways to help identify potential allies and likely opponents. If a similar policy has been proposed before, find out what stand the current members took and, if they voted, how they voted (again, don’t take this as the final word on your bill—stands and votes change). Look for proposals that people who support LGBT civil rights would likely have supported as well (and that opponents would likely have opposed). Fore example, in Wisconsin, organizers initially tagged all members of the legislature as likely supporters, opponents, or undecided on the basis of votes in the previous sessions on abortion, race discrimination in housing, and decriminalization of sodomy.

The best way to begin finding out about important votes, and another good way to get information about board members, is to talk to people who pay attention to the local political scene. Talk to reporters, gossip columnists, or politicians you know are supportive. Talk to people in organizations who are logical allies, such as feminist groups, the ACLU, more progressive churches, etc. Ask the people you talk to for their opinions about where the members stand and about important votes on other issues.

Browsing though old newspaper articles is another good way to get some sense of your board members. If archives are not available online, most public libraries keep the local paper on microfilm. If the library doesn’t have the local paper, the paper itself probably keeps either microfilm or back issues, and most papers are willing to let people do research.

There is always the direct approach. Call the board member’s office and ask if she or he has public positions on any issues related to LGBT people. Ask for any relevant literature. Try to have “informal” conversations with board members in which you ask for their general views on civil rights for LGBT people, or on domestic partnership. You can often do this at public “meet the member” events, or by asking for a short meeting. If the member asks why you are interested, you should be honest and say that you are thinking about proposing a policy.

Be flexible. As you learn more, your sense of where people stand is likely to change, so be ready to move people around and change them from category to category while you lobby.

Finding Out What It Will Take to Get a Vote

While you are doing the research on where people stand, get information that can help you persuade people when you begin lobbying. Look for anything that might help you make a connection with the member: a political connection, and intellectual connection, or a personal connection.

Most people in public office want to get reelected, elected to a higher office, or both. That means that they usually have ties to other politicians whose help they will need, and that there are interest groups and community leaders to whom they pay attention. Look for the obvious things, like whom members endorse and who endorses them. But also look to see whose dinners they attend, to whom they present commendations, etc. Look especially for connections to your political allies. Be careful with information about associations rather than views; it can be misleading. Try to get some friends to help you evaluate the information, and don’t overestimate its value.

Find out which organizations the member belongs to, especially which church, if any. Find out how seriously she or he seems to take religion. If any of the organizations to which a member belongs has a good official stand on LGBT rights, you’ll want to tell the member that when you lobby. You’ll want to do the same thing if his or her church has a good stand, or a local bishop or pastor does. You may want a member of the organization or the church to visit the member with you.

In Chicago, the vote of a council member who everyone thought would oppose the law was obtained by a longtime friend and supporter who came out to the member and explained in very personal terms why the law was important.

Some New York City activists are convinced that one critical vote was secured by a very persuasive “mistress.” Almost everyone who worked in New York was convinced that some council members who leaned against the bill were persuaded to change because their children worked hard to persuade them that the bill was right.      

Find out where members live, where they grew up, where they went to school, who their spouses are, and who their children are, and where the children go to school. Find out if anyone in your organization is close to family members or close friends of a board member. Time and again, votes have been obtained by spouses and children who lobbied at home.

You Need to Meet in Person

You should insist on personal meetings with every council member you want to lobby. It is much easier for someone to mislead you about where she or he stands if you talk on the phone or through an aide. You can never know if you written materials get read, but you’ll know your message was delivered if you want to make your case in person. Perhaps more important, people without terribly strong views of their own are likely to be coping with strong appeals from both sides. Your chances of being listened to as you make your arguments are stronger if you have a personal relationship with a member. The most successful campaigns usually assign specific members of the campaign to specific members of the council. This makes building relationships possible and it makes it easier for the organization to keep track of its progress with the member.

Establish a friendly relationship with the member’s staff. Staff often exercise considerable influence over a member’s schedule, and may decide whether you get in to meet with the member at all. Most members also look to this staff for advice on the substance of proposals that come before them. Since members are usually too busy to do all their research themselves, they’ll frequently ask staff members to get the answers to questions that interest them. You want to be sure that you are at least one of the people the staff member calls for answers.

You should have at least one major meeting with every member in which you make your case for the law, reassure the member, and pitch any angles you think may be particularly effective with this member. Obviously, anytime a member has questions you should be ready to meet with him or her again to answer them, and you should meet with a member anytime she or he does or says anything publicly that might reflect or have an impact on how he or she views the policy.

You should also have as much contact as you can with people who are undecided or who you think might be swayed. The more you make them think about the policy and your arguments, the more likely movement will occur. Members will think about the issue, at least briefly, every time they see you. You should simply stop by to say hello if you can, and be ready each time with a one- or two-sentence argument about why the member should support the policy. When you can, give the member a written fact sheet or explanation that supports the argument.

Finally, don’t neglect your positive votes. The other side may be lobbying them. Again, you should just stop by and say hello frequently, and make sure that each time you easily but unmistakably reaffirm the members’ commitment.

When to Lobby Whom

As you decide whom to lobby, think about logrolling. The idea is to go to your most likely allies on the board first, and get their commitments. Go to the less-committed folks next and tell them about the commitments you have. Go to more doubtful people after that, and so on.

Board members, like other people, are more likely to do something if they know other people will do it. Make sure you tell members who have said they’ll support you that you are going to tell the others. If they are reluctant to let you do that, assume the commitment is not solid and that the member needs more work. If the commitment is solid, see if you can get the board member to talk to the next colleague in line, either privately or with you (obviously, make sure the two are at least politically friendly before you ask).

Who Should Visit

Even if you are able to assign a campaign worker to every member, other people whose presence may help convince the member should visit at least once. You may want some of these people at your first major meeting with the member, and you may want them at later meetings as well. Your research on what the member cares about will tell you whom to bring. As mentioned above, you should think about political allies, union or business groups, community leaders, and religious leaders.

Organizers in New York and Chicago put together “nun squads” to lobby Catholic council members. Clerics make particularly effective lobbyists because so much of the opposition to LGBT civil rights laws tries to portray itself as motivated by religious morality. Pro-civil rights clerics give the member a certain amount of cover with religious constituents. Organizers thought the “nun squads” were particularly effective with members who had attended parochial schools. They had a tendency to look at their shoes and mutter, “Yes, Sister,” while being lobbied.     

It is usually critical for at least some of the people who visit to be constituents—people who live in the district and who are registered to vote. It is very good to get at least one LGBT constituent to visit. Too many members think they don’t have any. Perhaps as effective are constituents who are parents of LGBT people. Most board members will identify more quickly with parents than they will with LGBT people themselves.

One way to find constituents is to keep your volunteer lists sorted by ward or district. Many websites let you enter a zip code or address and find out the corresponding district and representative. One example is Congress.org .     

The best way to find constituents is often by word of mouth. Organizing begins at home. Ask your friends and family if they know anyone who lives in the district and who is LGBT or who has an LGBT child or parent or brother or sister. Look over your list to see if any of the organizations that have endorsed you are located in or have subgroups in the district. Look at lists of district political clubs and service organizations. They may be able to help you find constituents.

Never allow anyone to meet with the member and lie about living in the district. Your credibility will be blown if the lie is discovered, and lies like that are all too easy to discover.

If you can, have your visitors reflect the district. If there are important racial or ethnic blocks in the district, try to get both LGBT people and parents from all the principal groups in the district. This will help keep the member from thinking that the issue is only important to one group in his or her district. You may help smash some myths while you are at it.

Preparing for Visiting

Anyone who goes to visit a member should have a basic familiarity with the proposed policy and the major themes of the campaign. If you’ve got a case statement and answers to important questions or replies to opposition arguments, make sure every prospective visitor has read them. Some campaigns put the case statement and all the major issue papers into a briefing book that all visitors get well before they visit. You should run at least one training session for visitors. Go over the basics of the policy, review the major arguments for it and your answers to the arguments of the opposition. Go over some of the tips for effective meetings that are set out below. Demonstrate some of the questions people are likely to get. You won’t be able to get every visitor to a training session, but tray at least to talk to all of them on the phone and go over the most important points.

Whether your contact is by meeting or phone, tell every visitor not to guess at answers to questions the member asks. Visitors should take down any question to which they are not sure about the answer and say that someone from the campaign will get back to the member.

Giving Out Written Materials During Visits

There are three theories about giving written materials to members while visiting. Some campaigns put together briefing books with endorsement letters and short papers on all major issues and give them to members at a major meeting. Some campaigns issue short briefing papers and letter packets throughout the campaign and try to stop by members’ offices for short visits when each is issued. Some campaigns provide written materials during visits only if the member asks for something, and some even send those later.

Handing out briefing papers and endorsements issue by issue may be a good idea with people you are trying to convince; a single sheet aimed at an issue the member is concerned about is more likely to get read than a whole book. A complete book, on the other hand, maybe be helpful to people who are solid supporters but need help convincing others. Whatever tactic you use, try to hold written materials until the end of a visit, so that the member doesn’t read while you are trying to talk.

Things to Do During Visits

Especially at your first meetings, it may not be a good idea to ask members directly to support your proposal. They’ll usually dodge the question, often saying they need to study the proposal. You also are not likely to get very far by asking directly about what might convince a member to vote for the proposal. Most people won’t answer because they don’t want to be tied down. Even when people do answer, they tend to leave out important parts of the answer (like what political support is critical) when the question is that direct.

You should start by asking members what they think about the idea of a LGBT civil rights or domestic partnership policy. Gently draw them out as much as you possibly can and learn about their concerns. This is more likely to give you information you need to begin building your argument for this member. Again, don’t assume that you know a member’s views because of past statements on similar issues or even earlier bills.

Never leave a member’s office on terms that make it difficult to go back. If a member raises objections, respond to the substance, but don’t get into a fight. If a member sticks to an objection and refuses to listen to your response or engage in a discussion, ask to get back to him or her with more information later, and put the point aside.

One the other hand, don’t let members off the hook either. Members who do not have a strong view on the proposal, and who are being lobbied by both sides, will often try to get one side to give them “permission” to vote for the other. For example, a member may tell proponents that although he finds their arguments convincing, it is not politically practical to support them “this time.” You should of course give the member all the political reassurance you can (your endorsements, support in the district, etc.). But you should subtly make it clear that as you see it, leaders do not sacrifice important principles to expediency.

You should always treat people with respect. Never mislead anyone about anything; if you are discovered you will have no credibility. Don’t make commitments on which you can’t deliver.

If a member tells you that he or she will support your proposal, make sure that you can tell others. Ask if she or he will join as a sponsor (providing you have checked that with your chief sponsor), or if he or she will help you approach other legislators.

Finally (and this may sound like obvious advice, but a lot of people don’t follow it), don’t try to be somebody else when you meet with members. If you are down-home, stay that way. Don’t be folksy if you are not, etc.

Convincing Members to Support You

Most of the things you need to do to convince members to support you are covered in other sections. Here are a few additional points.

As you learn more about what matters to a member, adjust your plans. For example, as you find out more about who a member’s political allies are and what groups the member thinks most important, target them for endorsements.

Often, the most important tactic is finding the right person to ask the member to support the policy. Chicago organizers are fond of telling about the member who equivocated almost until the final vote, and then said that he needed a rabbi, an important rabbi, to tell him that it was OK to vote for the proposal. The night before the vote, organizers, with the mayor’s help, got an important rabbi to call the member from his car phone and tell the member that he should vote for the ordinance. He did.

You need to think about how to disarm members’ fears that if they vote for your proposal, it will cost them support and perhaps reelection or political advancement. One good way to do that is with convincing examples of politicians with similar constituencies in similar towns who supported similar proposals and did not suffer. Also, remember that just being able to say that the other politician did not lose may not be enough. If a politician’s vote total dropped significantly, that may be enough to cause your member concern.

Opinion polls showing widespread public support for extending basic civil rights to LGBT people may also help. Again, be careful. Look at the breakdowns in the polls and make sure it does not look like the members’ constituents (as opposed to the population as a whole) are a group that opposes civil rights for LGBT people. Perhaps the best reassurance for a worried member is evidence that there are supporters of the proposal in his or her district, and that they are organized and ready to support the member in a political campaign. Constituent visits are one way to do that. The mass and direct action tactics described in the next section can do it also.

Debriefing

Every visitor needs to be debriefed. You need to find out just what the member said about the bill. Most important, you need to find out what questions the member asked, and what promises the visitors made about getting the member more information, etc. Make sure someone from the campaign follows up on each.

A good way to keep track of your lobbying is to keep a binder, notebook, or spreadsheet for each board member. You should record the date of every visit, who visited, and the results of your debriefing. Keep track of visits and drop-ins by the campaign worker assigned to that member (if you have one) as well. The book should include every promise to deliver more information or follow up on a question that the campaign makes and any deadlines that go with them. You should have space to check off things when done.