action > contact your legislators and the Governor

To find your political district and legislators (who represents you), go to: 

Minnesota District Finder

The above link is easy to use. Simply enter your address, city, state and zipcode and the site will give you your district and lists your State Representative (MN House) and State Senator (MN Senate). NOTE: The site also lists federal congressmen/women, which is not needed for Minnesota bills — Minnesota state legislators vote on state bills.

For further information, such as House and Senate maps, district information, voting precincts, and more, go to: Geospatial Information

General phone

Another option to find your MN House legislator: If you're in the metro area, call 1-651-296-2146 (House Public Information Services) and asks who represents you based on your address/city/zip.

Out of the metro area, call 1-800-657-3550. The '651' number is the House switchboard and they will connect you directly to your Representatives/ or Senator's office.

What to say or write

Legislators want to hear directly from constituents. All accept calls, emails or letters. (Calls work best because not all legislators respond to emails quickly.)

If you call a legislator about a particular bill or issue, the legislator may pick up the phone and you can speak with him or her directly. In most cases, you’ll reach the legislator's voicemail (and you can leave a message) or you'll speak with a legislative aide. The aide will take your name and comments. If you haven’t called before, just be yourself. Keep it short, yet personal. If you are a constituent of the legislator, it's very important to state that you live in his or her district.

You can call on weekends — just leave a message, if no one answers.

IMPORTANT: Some legislators may have already expressed their support for a bill by signing on as the author or as a co-author. To check names of authors and co-authors, go to the MN Legislature website (Bill Search) and type in the bill number. You will be lead to a description of that particular bill and details, including co-authors. 

Legislator Responses

All legislators vary in how and when they respond to constituents.

• Some legislators answer their own emails; some do not. Some prefer phone calls or letters. Some respond in days; others take months.
• Many times the legislative aide responds and may send a "form" email or letter to you. Because a legislator or aide may not know the details of every bill at the Legislature, they may choose from a variety of generic responses that have already been written: 1) support; 2) neutral; or 3) against. This is why it's important to get to know your legislators and provide them with information and insight — so they learn to trust you and your opinion and their responses reflect this insight.
• Even though certain legislators express opposition, they cannot ignore constituents with firsthand knowledge and stories that relate to their community.
• Some people and organizations provide legislators with misinformation. Sometimes this is done intentionally (so as to confuse legislators); sometimes it's based on ignorance (they may not have the facts). If a legislator opposes a bill, ask why. Every conversation is an opportunity to  inform and educate.