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Sponsored by the South Portland, Maine, Democratic City Committee
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Make Your Democratic Voice Heard: Write a Letter to The Editor!
First, decide who or what you want to write about. Before you put pen to paper--or fingers to keyboard--make a few notes about the key points you want to cover in your letter. Then, start your letter by introducing your topic in a constructive way. Avoid name-calling whenever possible. It may be fun and feel satisfying at times, but it can detract from the strength or your arguments. Proceed to back up your arguments with facts or well-reasoned opinions. Consider the audience who may be reading your letter. They may not have the same familiarity with the subject matter that you have and they may need some basic background in order to grasp the merits of your position. Finish off your letter with a closing thought or summary of your position on the candidate or issue. Whenever possible, offer constructive, positive criticism and suggest a better approach when there is one. Or commend people or groups that are doing things well. Remember, your letter can simply be a brief note of congratulations for something done well or an observation of concern when you see something going on that seems wrong. Email is fast and easy, and it makes it easier for newspapers to simply “cut and paste” your letter into the paper. Local newsweeklies are most likely to print your letter. The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram is also a great newspaper to write to, but because of the volume of letters they receive, not all of them get printed. Keep in mind, all newspapers strongly prefer that your letter be unique to their publication. Avoid writing one letter and sending it out to multiple periodicals. In all cases, be sure to include your full name, address and phone number so that the newspaper can confirm the authenticity of your letter. If writing by email, do not use file attachments. Here are some of the key local publications to consider for your Letter to The Editor:
CURRENT
FORECASTER (Letters to the Editor about political issues or candidates in the 2008 campaign that are received after noon Monday, October 20, will not be published by The Forecaster.)
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD/MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM
SOUTH PORTLAND-CAPE ELIZABETH SENTRY
Written by Webmaster on Tuesday 19th February 2008 10:43 am Permalink |
Local newspapers love to get letters from their readers, and that means you! You can show your support for our Democratic candidates or speak out on issues that are important to members of our party. Letters from South Portland Democrats can help shape the discourse and news coverage in a tangible way. It’s easy to get started.