What's the best way to contact your Tennessee lawmaker: email, calls or something else?

Allie Feinberg, Knoxville News Sentinel
Updated ·8 min read
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All eyes are on the Tennessee General Assembly. Legislators in Nashville gather starting Jan. 9 to debate issues constituents care about, including school vouchers, gun safety and abortion.

Passions will run hot again as elected officials and constituents debate what laws should change after the deadly Covenant School shooting. Look no further than last year's expulsion of two of "the Tennessee Three" to remember where things stand.

Lawmakers obviously have their own opinions, but they're accountable to voters who ultimately decide whether they'll be elected to another term.

Want a say in what happens in at the State Capitol this session? State legislators are relatively accessible.

Their individual websites provide emails, phone numbers and office addresses.

Finding their contact information is only half the battle, though. Some methods of communication are more effective than others. Is it best to call and leave a message? Does that online petition count for anything?

You might be surprised how your legislators prefer to be reached. Knox News asked so you don't have to.

Contacting legislators by email is most efficient if you have a specific question

Sen. Richard Briggs, who represents part of Knox County, told Knox News his preferred avenues of contact with constituents are "email, email and email." Legislators might not immediately know the answer to a constituent's query, and email allows them to forward the correspondence to department heads without having to play the role of middleman.

"We can (get questions and requests answered) pretty fast that way," said Briggs, a Republican. "And, whoever's making that request sees the exact response that I get back from whatever department (knew the answer)."

Rep. Justin Lafferty, who represents parts of southeast Knox County, said email allows for well thought out responses.

"When constituents have more complicated issues, there is a process of gathering information from the proper sources, preparing a response and, if all goes well, finding a positive resolution to the issue," he told Knox News, conveniently, in an email.

Email also allows legislators to respond even if they're not available when the correspondence comes in, as opposed to missing a phone call.

Phone calls are effective for back-and-forth dialogue and gauging opinion

Rep. Sam McKenzie, who represents neighborhoods in the center of the county, told Knox News that emails often get lost in the shuffle.

"We're a lot more likely to lose (an email) in the mass array of (chain mail)," he said.

McKenzie, a Democrat, and many of his colleagues use phone calls to keep a tally of how constituents feel about issues.

"A lot of times, there'll be a vote coming and (constituents) just want me to to know they want me to support the vote or not," he said.

Rep. Dave Wright, a Republican who represents Corryton and the surrounding area, told Knox News he prefers phone calls because they allow him to interact with constituents on a more personal level.

"Being able to hear from people to talk out and understand where they're coming from (is good)," he said.

How well do you Know Your Knox? We answer the questions you really want to know

Looking to social media

Rep. Gloria Johnson, a Democrat who represents a stretch of Knoxville close to downtown, told Knox News she's up for any method the constituent prefers. She's open to phone calls and emails but messages on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram are the most effective ways to reach her.

"I try to keep up as much as I can," she said. "Some people don't really know how to look up our office numbers and that sort of thing."

Most legislators agree: Ditch the chain email for something personal

Knoxville's legislative delegation can't always reach a political consensus, but there is one thing they agree on: those pesky chain emails you just sign your name to carry less weight than an individual constituent's direct comment.

Even if you're not confident in your writing ability, they'd rather see something personal than your name signed on the bottom of an essay from the internet.

"I don't care about, you know, misspelled words," McKenzie said. "I would take an email full of mistakes that comes from a person's heart and their mind and gives their honest opinion on an issue above (well-crafted mass emails)."

Johnson agreed that adding a personal touch makes a correspondence stick out, but said she knows her constituents are busy.

"You know what, folks at home are busy ... to think that we're the only ones who are busy isn't quite fair," she said. "If (chain emails) are the only way people can reach out, that doesn't bother me at all."

What legislators want you to know before you contact them

Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, a Republican who represents part of Knox County, said she wants people to feel comfortable reaching out to her even if they disagree with her. "Give and take of civil discourse (is important)," she said.

McKenzie agreed. "Take the time to listen to see if you may be wrong or may not be totally in step ... you can agree to disagree on an issue and not be so dogmatic," he said.

In other words, be polite.

Other advice? Be as specific as possible in your correspondences. Always give an address and phone number so your legislator can get in touch with you. Wright said addresses are helpful because it tells him how much weight to give correspondence. If a person in his district reaches out, he'll prioritize them.

"If (someone) says 'Hey, I'm John Smith and my phone number (starts with) 865,' heck, I'll call him back," Wright said.

How do I know who my legislator is?

The Tennessee General Assembly's website makes it simple to figure out represents you. All you need to do is enter your address on the "Tennessee Elected Legislator Finder" page. You'll find your senator and your representative.

Where can I find legislators' contact information?

Phone numbers and email addresses can be found on legislators' pages on the Tennessee General Assembly's website, capitol.tn.gov:

The complete directory for all legislators in Tennessee can be found here.

Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email knowyourknox@knoxnews.com.

Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: allie.feinberg@knoxnews.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How to contact Tennessee representatives and senators