You have a question about your representative's position on a key issue, or you want to complain to your county assessor about your latest house valuation. Whether you want contact information for a specific named official or need to know who your officials are, do a quick online search or hunt through your local phone book for the right phone number to call or an email to contact your government officials directly. You can even find a snail-mail address, if that's your preferred mode of communication.
Online Information
Enter the phrase "how do I find my elected officials" into your computer's search engine. Choose from options such as usa.gov or commoncause.org. Or enter the phrase above with the addition of "in (my state)."
Select your state from the drop-down menu or click on your state on a map on the nationwide sites. On the state sites, click on your city or district, if you know it.
Enter your street address, town or city name and zip code to narrow the search for your specific officials. The sites will list the names and contact information for your state and local officials based on the information you provide.
Use the Phone Book
Turn to the front of your local phone book. Look for either the blue pages, which are dedicated to government listings, or the "Quick Reference" section.
Search the sections for headings such as "City Government," "County Government" or "State Government."
Locate the number for "town clerk" or "city clerk" under the listing for your locale and call that number to get the information on your specific elected officials. If there are listings for "Board of Elections" or "Secretary of State," those are also good sources for the information you need. Some state pages contain listings for "Governor's Information Center" or another comparable entity; calling these numbers should also enable you to get details on your state and local officials.
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References
- USA.gov: Government Agencies and Elected Officials
- Common Cause: Find Your Elected Officials
- Pennsylvania General Assembly: Find Your Legislator
- Utah State Legislative District Maps: Who Represents Me?
- USA Blue Pages: State Specific Information
- Oregon Department of Education: How to Find Resources in Your Community
Writer Bio
As a national security analyst for the U.S. government, Molly Thompson wrote extensively for classified USG publications. Thompson established and runs a strategic analysis company, is a professional genealogist and participates in numerous community organizations.Thompson holds degrees from Wellesley and Georgetown in psychology, political science and international relations.