HELPFUL TIPS FOR WRITING THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE
IMPORTANT:
- You’ll write your message in the text box on Step 2, where it says “Personalize your message.”
- Your message will be sent individually to each member of the redistricting “conference” committee.
- Don’t click the “Send message” button until you write your message.
- REMEMBER TO DELETE THE TEXT THAT SAYS “[DELTE THIS TEXT AND INSERT YOUR MESSAGE HERE]”
Have questions? Check out this video tutorial about using Better Wyoming forms to email legislators.
YOUR MESSAGE SHOULD HAVE THREE SHORT PARTS:
1. Say who you are.
Make sure to tell them that you’re a Laramie County voter.
My name is ____. I’m a voter in Laramie County.
2. Say what you want.
I’m writing today to ask you to support the House redistricting map and ensure Southside Cheyenne gets fair representation as you finalize the process.
3. Say why you want it.
[This is where you can add a sentence or two about why this is important to you. See talking points below.]
PRO TIPS
Keep it brief: Lawmakers get tons of emails. If you write them a novel, they’re not going to read it.
Change the message subject: This will let them know your email is not spam.
TALKING POINTS
Maybe mention a few of these things in your message. Read this article (and watch the video!) for background information.
- The House map is reflects the months-long process that the Corporations Committee went through to hear and respond to the wishes of local stakeholders and communities. The Senate map was created in basically a day without any public input.
- Southside Cheyenne is a racially diverse place with its own cultural heritage. It is a distinct community of interest that deserves representation in the Legislature.
- Southside Cheyenne’s voice has been marginalized in the Legislature for decades. The area is currently gerrymandered into four House districts.
- Not a single senator in the Legislature currently lives in Southside Cheyenne. But the districts could be easily redrawn to have two House districts and one Senate district on the Southside. In fact, a proposed map that the Corporations Committee passed contained two House districts and one Senate district for Southside Cheyenne.
- According to the 2020 census, roughly 15 percent of Laramie County is Latino. The lion’s share of these folks live in a cluster of neighborhoods in Southside Cheyenne. But this community is divided between districts, splitting the Latino vote.
- The U.S. Supreme Court and the 1965 Voting Rights Act say that when communities of interest exist according to racial lines, lawmakers should draw voting districts to ensure minority communities have representation.