Make One Call
Venting on social media may make you feel better for a minute or two. But actually calling your elected officials can have a real impact. Activists and legislative aides alike say phone calls are the most effective way to grab politicians’ attention and affect how they’re thinking and how they vote. And all it takes is five minutes of your time. So gather your thoughts, jot down some notes, and dial up. (If the thought of calling gives you heart palpitations, no judgment. Skip down to Send One Email.)
Where to start
5calls is an easy-to-use platform directly connects you with your House, Senate, and State representatives. There’s nothing to download. Just go to 5calls.org, plug in your zip code to find your electeds and you can call right from there. A staff member will pick up the phone. 5calls also tracks more than 50 current issues, regularly updates the list, and provides sample scripts for every issue posted. It’s pretty great. Of course, feel free to tweak the scripts to suit your concerns, or just talk about what matters to you. Keep it brief, be polite, and make yourself heard. Works on smart phones, computers and tablets. Whatever suits you best.
Action tip: Make a recurring calendar alert on your phone — say, once a week, after lunch — and add the 5calls link there in the alert. That way you can call right when the reminder pops up.
While you’re at it, add our Hope Scroll link to that invite and come back here for a little empowerment boost before or after you call.
Forward 5calls to a friend and tell them how easy it is to use it. Include a link to DemocracyDiesWithDoge.
Sign up for email updates to the 5calls issues list.
Other ways to contact your reps
Call the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional switchboard at 202-225-3121 and ask to be put through to your Congress member’s office. Be prepared to ask for your Member’s office by name. You can even ask to speak to the staff aide who woks on a specific issue.
Call the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be put through to your Senators’ offices.
Action tip: Add those numbers to your contacts. Then make a calendar alert reminding you to call at least once a week.
You can also find contact info for all of your federal, state, and local elected officials via the handy USA.GOV tool.
How to make an effective call
Be clear and direct: (“I urge [Senator/Rep Name] to vote NO on [issue]”).
Keep it short (staffers take notes quickly).
Say if you’re a constituent (staffers prioritize calls from voters in their district/state).
Keep the script simple
Use one of the 5calls scripts or gin up a quick one of your own:
“Hi, my name is [Name], I’m a constituent from [City, State]. I’m calling to urge [Senator/Representative Name] to vote NO on [Issue]. This issue is important to me because [1-2 sentence reason]. Thank you.”
Remember: There doesn’t have to be a vote pending in Congress. Call and urge your electeds to respond to the latest authoritarian actions of DOGE, the Justice Department, and other agencies of the Trump administration.
What if you get voicemail?
Don’t hang up! Leave your name and your message on the voicemail and don’t forget to include your full street address to ensure your call is tallied. Don’t forget: You’re a constituent. Your lawmakers represent you.
What happens when you call and why it matters
Here’s some information from Everyday Activist, a lively Substack newsletter that is also focused on citizen action:
When you call your legislators’ offices, you won’t be speaking directly to them. Instead, a staffer or intern answers and takes notes on your message.
They’re trained to log every call, and your stance on an issue is recorded. Even if you just leave a voicemail, it still gets counted.
How are calls logged?
Most congressional offices track calls in a constituent database.
Your stance (for or against an issue) is noted. Stick to one issue per call.
If enough people call about the same topic, staffers flag it as a high-priority issue for the legislator.
The more calls legislators receive on an issue, the harder it is to ignore.
Why call If your Rep already agrees with you?
Even if your representative supports your stance, calling reinforces that they have strong constituent backing. It never hurts to say thank you.
It helps them justify taking stronger action.
It gives them more leverage when negotiating with colleagues.
It shows other lawmakers that public opinion is mobilized.
Why call if your Rep disagrees with you?
Even if your legislator is on the opposite side, your call still matters. Here’s why:
Politicians track public sentiment. If enough people call, it signals growing opposition. So even if they don’t change their vote, they might soften their stance.
It builds pressure. Politicians are always thinking about reelection. If they see a shift in their district, they’ll take notice.
Does one call really make a difference?
One call alone won’t change policy—but thousands can. Offices often say:
10-20 calls on an issue = noticed
50+ calls = flagged as a growing concern
Hundreds of calls = priority issue
So make a recurring event on your calendar to call once a week. Or once a day. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Calling works. Keep the pressure on.
Follow up with an email or a snail mail letter. You’ll probably get a letter in return.
When constituents flood congressional offices with their concerns, policy shifts happen.