The document provides guidance for setting up and conducting a meeting with a legislator. It recommends scheduling a meeting early in the legislative session, which adjourns on May 23, as Mondays, Fridays, and weekends often work best for Greater Minnesota legislators. Metro area legislators could meet any day. The document also provides tips for before, during, and after the meeting, such as agreeing on attendees, learning about the legislator, being prepared with materials, following up on unanswered questions, and sending a thank you note.

1. Setting Up Your Meeting
The legislative session is framed by the adjournment date of Monday, May 23. Meeting
early in the process is advised. Greater Minnesota legislators are often in St. Paul mid-
week; Monday mornings, Fridays, and weekends may work best for them. Metro area
legislators could be invited any day that works for your organization.
Fridays may work well as the legislature typically does not meet that day. Also, your
legislator will most likely be in district during the holiday recess between Tuesday, April
19 and Monday, April 25.
Call your legislator’s staff with a few dates in mind to schedule the meeting, and fol-
low up with an official invitation letter (see www.mncn.org/speak-up). If your meeting
request is turned down due to scheduling issues or for other reasons, please call us (see
final page for contact info) and we can help you think about other approaches to getting
time with your legislator.
Before the meeting
• Agree on who should attend. Choose between 4-6 people from leadership, board,
staff, or program participants who are willing to be spokespersons at the meeting.
• Collaborate with other nonprofits. Consider scheduling the meeting in tandem with
other nonprofits in your community. MCN can help identify potential partners.
• Learn more about your legislator. It’s important to know your legislator’s back-
ground, legislative interests, committee assignments and any leadership positions
they hold; find this info at http://www.leg.mn (Click on Senator information and
House Member information).
• Create meeting materials and agenda (see following page).
During the meeting
• Don’t be nervous: you are the expert on your organization and community! You have
valuable information that your legislator needs in order to make informed decisions
for Minnesota.
• Can’t answer a question—get back to them. If you don’t know, don’t bluff—tell the
legislator you will follow-up after the meeting.
• Give the legislator a chance to tell you about himself/herself. Ask questions to un-
derstand what motivates them and what they care about most.
• Avoid complaining, overstating the case, or burning bridges! Rather than personal-
izing differences of opinion, keep a focus on the issue.
After the meeting
• Immediately send a handwritten thank you note. Add that your organization is
always there as a resource to legislators on your issues.
• Let MCN know how the meeting went and what happened!