Advocacy 101 - Talk to Your City Council Representative

Here at Seattle Animal Watch, we believe that issues related to animal welfare are largely invisible in our city. One of our goals in 2025 is to raise awareness at the City Council about topics related to animals. Talking to your representative educates them about the matters that are important to you. 

Seattle’s City Council has 9 members. Seven of these members are elected from Districts and two are all-city positions (also known as “at large”). 

Meet Your Council

1. Find your representative or contact one of the at-large members. Make an appointment. Meetings are generally 15 minutes but can be longer.
   

2. Prepare for your meeting. Research your issue, have a list of talking points, and be prepared to answer questions. If you need help getting started, check out SAW’s Fact Sheet.
   

3. At the meeting, introduce yourself as a constituent and a voter. Be polite and stick to your issue and the facts - now is not the time to argue over political beliefs. It’s okay to read a statement - you may not be a persuasive speaker but you don’t need to be. Tell a true story supporting your points.
   

4. If you can make a fiscal point supported by data, bring that up. Everyone is interested in the financial impact of legislative activities, especially politicians.
   

5. Listen to their questions and respond to their concerns.
   

6. Thank them for their time.
   

7. Follow up via email by sending a fact sheet or other data along with answers to any questions they may have.  Continue the conversation by inviting the representative to a local animal related activity, such as a rescue volunteer training or off-leash area maintenance party.
   

8. Repeat every 6 months or as emergent animal-related issues arise.