North Carolina’s state motto is Esse Quam Videri, a Latin phrase that means “to be rather than to seem.” If you believe that politicians should be good leaders who deliver on their promises, it’s up to you to make sure they follow the law, practice strong ethics and listen to the people who live in their district. This section tells you how you can do just that by being an active constituent.

 

It’s Your Right to Know

It’s your right to know what your elected officials are doing, who their campaign donors are and how they vote on important issues. Here are some simple ways to follow your elected officials. These ideas are tailored for state representatives, but you can adapt the same techniques locally to use with school board, city council and county commission officials:

1. Follow what’s going on in the NC General Assembly by reading the newspaper or visiting its website at www.ncga.state.nc.us.

2. Follow policy discussions at www.ncpolicywatch.com. Local officials can be tracked in your local paper and TV station websites, or by visiting your local municipal government website. (People without computers can get Internet access at the local library.)

3. Call your elected officials before important votes to let them know where you stand on the issue being debated. (A personal letter or call is better than an email!)

4. See who donated money to a state candidate’s campaign by using our research guide and visiting the Campaign Finance Report Search section of the state Board of Elections website.  For federal candidates, including U.S. House members, see www.opensecrets.org. Contact your local board of elections for campaign disclosure reports of local candidates.

5. Visit your state legislator at the General Assembly at 16 West Jones Street, Raleigh. The building is open to the public. Before you go, you should make an appointment to see your legislator if that’s one of your goals. Or, you can arrange to meet him or her in your home county and invite other people who share your views to the meeting for more impact. You can reach your legislator or the legislator’s clerk through the General Assembly’s switchboard at 919-733-4111.

Learn more about how to contact your state representatives by visiting the “Help” or “Citizen’s Guide” sections of the General Assembly website or by calling 919-733-7928.

 

Communicating with Government Officials

Do you want an elected official to know how you feel about an upcoming vote? Did someone you voted for go back on their word? You can provide feedback to elected officials by:

1. Phoning officials: A personal phone call ranks with a personal letter as the most effective way to get the attention of an elected official. If an official’s phone number is listed on their website, it usually means it is okay for you to use that number to speak to them or leave a message. Just be courteous: Don’t phone too early or too late and respect their right to holiday, family and personal time. And please remember that if your primary interest is making sure they hear your opinion, a voice mail message can work effectively. But always leave contact information in case someone wants to get back to you -- and as a way to underscore that you are a constituent who lives in their district.
2. Writing officials: Personal letters, either hand-written or typed on a computer will get the attention of government officials. Be sure to include your contact information and be clear about what it is that you want. Make sure that what you are asking of them is something reasonably within their power to provide (A specific vote? The answer to a question?). However, if you are seeking their stance on an issue or want to know what their official duties are, you might find the answer on their campaign websites, or visit your local board of elections website for information on the duties of elected officials. In other words, reserve letters for conveying your opinion on important matters or other specific constituent requests. Note: Form letters do not make as much impact as personal letters and there is no point in writing an elected official unless you live in the district they represent. Their job is to represent and respond to constituents. If you aren’t one, your concerns will go to the bottom of their pile.
3. Emailing officials: Most officials will tell you that form emails have little impact beyond tracking the sheer number of them received – making them primarily effective in situations where a specific matter or bill is coming up for a vote. Whether or not a personal email is effective depends on the elected official. Many officials prefer the efficiency of email correspondence; others have never used email and never will. If you want to develop a relationship with your representatives ─ and we think you should ─ we recommend first phoning his or her office to find out if they prefer emails, written letters or phone calls, then doing your best to accommodate their preferences.

 

Reporting Ethical Violations

Most elected officials are honest. A very few are not. If you run across a violation of ethics or the law, here is what you can do:

• State-level campaign finance violations: All state-level candidates (NC House or Senate representatives, Council of State and Executive Office) in North Carolina must file campaign disclosure reports with the state Board of Elections in a timely manner and follow certain rules when doing so. You can download and review these reports here. If you know a state candidate’s report is incorrect, you can report them to the Campaign Finance Division and ask them to follow-up. Please be sure you understand the rules about disclosures and the deadlines of campaign finance reports before you accuse someone of misconduct; sometimes you may simply be reading the wrong quarter’s report. To learn how to interpret campaign finance reports, download our guide to interpreting campaign finance reports here.
• Local campaign finance violations: Local candidates (mayor, city council, county commissioner, school board) must file their campaign finance reports with their local board of elections. Their reports can sometimes be found on the websites of your local board of elections, but usually you must visit your local board in person and ask to see the reports (they are public information). Violations by local candidates should be reported to the director of your local board of election. If you are not sure who to report a violation to, the director of your local board is a good place to start as he or she is obligated to report violations to the appropriate agency in a timely manner.
  
• Bribes: Soliciting a bribe in exchange for a vote or contract is illegal. Report violations to the NC State Attorney General's office at 919-716-6400.
• Lobbyist disclosures: New and tougher laws require lobbyists active in North Carolina to report on the amount of money they spend and the specific activities they paid for in pursuit of their legislative goals. If you feel a lobbyist did not file an accurate report or violated the law, please contact Joal Broun, Lobbyist Compliance Director for NC’s Secretary of State or phone 919-807-2121. For more information on the new lobbyist laws and compliance, please visit this website.
• Ethics violations: State representatives and other elected officials must follow certain ethical guidelines when doing their job. You can find state guidelines here or phone your municipal or town offices for information on any local guidelines that may apply. To report violations by state officials, including those serving in either the Legislative or Executive branches, click here for reporting procedures as outlined by the State Ethics Commission or call (919-715-2071). To report violations by local officials, start by contacting the city attorney, mayor’s office or district attorney’s office. Reviewing local ethical rules in advance will ensure you have this information when you need it. 

Finding Likeminded Others

When it comes to constituent feedback, there is strength in numbers. If you feel strongly about specific issues and would like to make sure your elected officials hear your stance, click here for a list of statewide organizations doing issue advocacy work. If you are seeking people who share your local concerns, most people can find support by checking local publications or news sites for the names of:

• Civic groups such as the League of Women Voters.
• Local political action committees.
• Neighborhood associations that focus on issues close to home.
• School- or education-based groups that lobby the board of education.
• Political parties that may be active in local politics in your area.