What worked? What did you learn? What feedback would you give others?
Our experience has been that the incumbents running for office have been more accessible than normal. We haven't moved the needle much but we're getting more face-to-face meetings.
Thank you for the Action Toolkit with Tips for Town Halls! I read this before my first town hall yesterday and your recommendations were spot on. I prepared my question ahead of time and made sure to include appreciation and something relevant to my life. I arrived early, which gave me a chance to say hello to an aide I’d met with before. When the Q&A started, I got in line right away (highly recommend this) and there were already about 7-8 people ahead of me. The microphone for Q&A ended up being in a different spot than expected. I specifically used wording that reflected my Congressman’s values and the first part of the response was:
“Thank you. If everything was presented as well as that was, it would be so much easier to work in Washington.”
He continued with a very thoughtful answer about both sides coming together for solutions. He even asked if I would go connect with an aide afterwards so he could meet with me to learn more about carbon dividends. Later on, another attendee asked a question about climate change and was being critical (exactly what was listed in the article as "things to avoid doing"). In the response, the Congressman pointed to me in the crowd, asked my name again, and referred to our exchange as an example of productive dialogue. It was complete validation for the CCL way of respect and common ground. I've never doubted this was the way to go, but it was a thrill to see it acknowledged in front of so many people.
After the town hall, I followed your recommendation and went up to meet the Congressman and thanked him again for his answer. I also connected with his aides about being in contact about a meeting. I also asked some of the photographers in attendance where they would be posting photos and got their business cards. As I was walking out, multiple attendees thanked me for my question, said it was thoughtfully prepared and they recognized I was ‘speaking his language’. Your tips and tricks prepared me perfectly and I’m so excited by the positive response I received!!
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