We live in a politically divisive age, and everyone most likely has opinions on how our elected officials should vote. You’ve no doubt heard about the importance of contacting your representatives, but how to actually do it is not always so straightforward. Here are the names of and contact information for the representatives in the 9th District of Indiana (which includes Bloomington):

Sen. Joe Donnelly (Democrat)

Phone: 202-224-4814

Sen. Todd Young (Republican)

Phone: 202-224-5623

Congressman Trey Hollingsworth (Republican)

Phone: 202-225-5315

There are many online resources, such as govtrack.us or the congress and senate websites, which help constituents track bills as they go through the process of becoming laws. They will also give you summaries of the bills, their sponsors, and the latest action regarding the bills, so you’ll be up to date on all of the necessary information when you call your representative.

Once you’ve found a bill that you feel passionately about, you can make the call. Based on how far along the bill has gotten, you will either need to call your congressperson or your senators. When you call, it will most likely be picked up by a legislative assistant. You don’t necessarily need to give reasons for why you want the bill to be passed or vetoed, just the way you would urge your representative to vote. However, if the bill is something that would affect you or your family directly, mentioning that could be a good idea to gain sympathy and credibility. Here is a template for a sample call:

“Hi, my name is _____ and I’m a constituent from Indiana, zip code _____. I’m calling to urge Senator Joe Donnelly to vote in favor of Bill ####. I feel this way because _________. Thank you so much for your hard work.”

It’s much more simple than you may have previously thought! Furthermore, if you’re not a fan of talking on the phone, there are also alternative ways to contact your representatives, such as Resistbot. By texting RESIST to 50409, the computer system will ask you your address in order to find out who your representatives are, and then give you the option to contact your congressperson, senators, or both. It helps you through the process of writing a letter to your elected officials and then faxes it to their office when you’re done.

Getting in contact with your representatives and voicing your opinions is extremely important in terms of how our democracy works. Don’t hesitate to reach out, and urge others contact their representatives as well!