letter to the president assignment

How to Write a Letter to the President (With Example)

So you’ve decided you want to write a letter to the President? Then you must have a good reason for doing so. In which case, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about writing this kind of letter - from what to write to how to format it and where to send it.

Basics of Writing a Letter to the President

Let's start with the basics. If you haven't already, you need to consider your reasons for writing to the President. What do you intend on saying? What is the outcome you hope to get from writing this letter? Are you certain the President is the most appropriate recipient for this letter? We'll go over all this in the first section.

Let's dig in.

The Most Common Reasons to Write a Letter to the President

There are many reasons why one might write a letter to the President; as such it would be impossible to list them all. However, we can certainly enumerate the most common ones. Here goes.

Congratulate them on their recent win

You might want to congratulate the President on their recent win, which is a perfectly good reason to want to write a letter to the President, and you certainly won't be alone in doing so.

Voice a concern: You might want to write to the President in order to voice a concern about a pressing issue or to make suggestions around topics you think they should focus on.
Ask for an autograph: This type of letter is a common request from children and young people and usually tends to get a lot of attention from a President as it's the type of letter they take special care to respond to.
Seek a pardon: Prisoners who wish to have their sentence reduced or terminated early can write a letter to the President for their consideration. Usually, this type of letter would come from offenders who have shown good behavior and can show clear efforts towards rehabilitation.
School project: Students can sometimes be asked to write a letter to the President as part of a school project. This is a great exercise in practicing your democratic duties. This is an opportunity to share your opinions with the President about how you think they can best help young people.
Advocate for change: If you represent a particular interest where action is needed (say, for example, climate change), you might write a letter to the President to ask them to pay attention to this area.

Can it be sent to someone else?

Sometimes you might think that the President is the best recipient of your letter when in fact, this is not necessarily the case. Sure, taking drastic action such as writing to the country's most powerful person can often feel like the best course of action to get things moving, however, considering how many letters the President receives, and the sheer amount of responsibilities they have, you may save valuable time and effort by writing directly to the person in charge of your particular request.

It can be helpful to think of other possible recipients to see if another one might be better suited. Read on for a list of other potential recipients, and what they can help with:

The editor of your local news outlet

Certain issues are best spoken about on the news, so they attract attention from the relevant person.

Your school board or district

Say, for example, you want to get guns prohibited in schools, before you write to the President, you might want to try directly addressing your school's board and asking them to implement such a rule. Send them research-based evidence of the benefits of banning firearms in school.

Your representative congressional office

If your issue is concerning a specific policy, consider writing directly to your representative congressional office. Mention which bill or specific area your concern is around, and the action you suggest taking.

Identified a particular problem in your city? This might be an issue better suited to your city or town's mayor. Ask yourself whether the rest of the country is affected by this problem. If not, then the mayor is your guy (or gal).

Alternative ways to contact the President

Before you begin writing your email to the President, it can be helpful to know that there are alternative ways to contact the President. These might be preferable to you, depending on the reason for you contacting them.

Why not email the President? An email is a great way to keep legislators honest about campaign promises, thereby encouraging them to do what they said they would do. Plus, it leaves an electronic record that cannot be deleted, in case that is something you need.

You could elect to place a phone call to the White Office instead of writing to them. You should know that the President themself will not be answering the phone however; this is manned by professional White House operators. If you do want to call, use one of the following phone numbers:

Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414

You could choose to send a gift to the President. Note, however, that the White House is unable to accept any monetary gifts. They also ask that you consider making a donation to a charity instead of sending them a gift. If you really must, though, you're welcome to send them a gift.

You could also use a combination of two methods - i.e. write an email and a letter. Or a letter, and a follow-up email a few months later.

Best Practices for Content

Now, moving on to the actual writing of your letter. There are certain practices you'll want to follow to ensure that your letter is read, taken seriously, and if you're lucky, answered. Read on to find out what those are.

Format Your Letter to the President

The White House asks that you take the following precautions when writing your letter:

Use an 8 1/2 by 11-inch sheet of paper
Include your return address on the letter and the envelope
Ensure your letter is neat if hand-written

There are a few that we'd like to add.

How to start your letter

The first thing you need to do is address your letter correctly, and appropriately. We suggest "Dear President [last name]" or "Dear [Mr./Mrs.] President".

Use formal language

If there ever was a time to make your writing formal, this is it. Writing your letter to the President in a formal manner will ensure you come across as respectful, but also that you'll be taken seriously. If you want your letter to eventually reach the President, and/or have an impact, using formal language will get you well on your way.

Write the correct address on the envelope

Addressing the letter to the correct address is pretty crucial. Here's what to write on the envelope:

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500

Use a clear structure

You'll want to follow a structure when writing your letter to the President so that you get your point across efficiently. You should include a clear introduction that explains the intentions of the letter; the main body that goes into detail about the request or concerns; and a conclusion that summarizes the desired actions you would like to see taken.

Don't go overboard

Be purposeful about how long your letter is. It doesn't need to be a specific length, but you'll want to keep the reader engaged as well as ensure you're not going off-topic. If you write your letter with these elements in mind, it naturally shouldn't exceed three or four pages.

Be Strategic

The tone of your letter will depend on the message you're trying to get across. If you're looking for a pardon, the overwhelming tone will likely be remorseful. If your letter has the purpose of asking for change, you'll want to use convincing arguments and use a confident tone of voice. If you're complaining, your tone might be serious and matter-of-fact.

No matter what, the tone of your letter must remain gracious, even if you're writing to express your dissatisfaction. Diplomacy is key here, so make sure you're using respectful language.

Using respect and professionalism will help your letter have an impact. After all, you have a specific outcome in mind for your letter, right? You're hoping to get something out of it. The best way to make this happen is to be strategic around your choice of language and tone of voice.

Another important consideration is when to send your letter. If sending a letter of congratulations, we recommend sending this soon after the President takes office, as there is a significant delay in letters being read due to the screening process that is undertaken - for security purposes - before any letter is given to the President.

If it's a request for a pardon, it might be useful to know that pardons tend to be given towards the end of their time in office, so you'll do well addressing this letter to them, say, at the beginning of their final year.

If you're lobbying for change about a specific issue, then writing at a time when a scandal has recently broken out in another area might not be the best time, since that will be the current focus at the White House.

Steps to Take When Writing Your Letter to the President

To make your letter to the President a success, we recommend you follow a specific writing process. Most people only write a letter to the President once in a lifetime, so you'll want to get it right. We'll outline below our suggested process, but this isn't the only way, and you might want to tweak it slightly according to your preference.

Start by brainstorming. Brainstorming what? Everything! Your reasons for writing to the President, what you hope to get from the letter, the best tone of voice to use, what you want to include, and so on. In other words, everything we've presented in this article so far presents great brainstorming material.

It's a good idea to create a checklist during this process, adding ideas to it as you go. This will ensure you don't forget anything during the first draft process, and will also be useful during the editing process.

First draft

Write the first draft of your letter. The secret to first drafts is to write without holding back. In fact, in the writer's world, it's often said that you should write a "sh##ty first draft". This concept gives you the freedom to write without worrying about making it good, which serves to unleash our creativity which is invaluable when it comes to writing good content. You'll find you go places you didn't even know you would.

This is where you polish, edit, shift, replace words and move things around. The editing process is where you refine your letter, basically, and get it ready for sending. It's your opportunity to make sure you've included everything you wanted to include. Use the checklist you created during the brainstorming part of the process. Did you omit anything? If so, is there a reason you did?

Don't sweat it if it's the case. Sometimes, as we're writing, we realize certain details aren't as important as we thought they were, or perhaps they need reframing.

Who Will Read It?

Your letter will be addressed to the President, but it might not be the President themselves who read it. This is worth bearing in mind.

Firstly, anything entering the White House must undergo rigorous security checks, as anyone might expect. Therefore, you should expect a considerable delay in anyone reading your letter at all. The larger your letter, the more security it will need to undergo. This is useful to know if you're sending a gift.

Secondly, your letter will initially be read by staff members of the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence. The staff body is composed of paid full-time members, as well as interns and volunteers. The good news is that such a large office means they can reply to many letters. Here, "many" is subjective, since they received thousands of letters every day, so they couldn't possibly respond to more than a small fraction of those.

So how can you know whether the President themselves will read your letter? It's difficult to say. Obama during his presidency asked to be presented with a representative sample of ten letters per day. This will vary depending on who's currently in office. Rumor has it President Biden reads letters from citizens in the evening before bed.

Example Letters to the Office of the President (U.S.A)

Now that we've covered essential ground to assist you in writing your letter to the president, we thought it might be helpful for you to see an example. Interested? Read on. Following is an example of a letter to the president advocating for change.

Dear President [Last name] I am writing to bring a particular area of concern to your attention. A growing concern of the public is [insert area of concern you want to bring the President's awareness to]. The reason this issue is pressing is [explain reasons why the President should take this seriously - include mention of how widespread it is and how it is impacting society]. Please consider lending your support to this cause by [specify exactly what kind of action or support you are requesting]. Your support could have an incredibly beneficial impact, such as [insert expected impact of the action requested]. [Add additional key points as relevant; perhaps some research-based evidence to support your claim]. Thank you for the attention you will be giving this important [cause/issue]. I do not doubt that together we can counter the negative impact of [insert issue at hand], as your support in this endeavor will greatly help advance our cause and bring about long-lasting solutions. If you need to reach me, you’ll find my return address at the top of this letter, or on the back of the envelope. Meanwhile, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and for your consideration. I wish you all the best in your presidency of the United States of America. Respectfully, [Your Name]

You may of course tweak the above example to serve your purposes. If you are writing a different type of letter, you might want to include certain additional details or remove some of the points the above example makes. We're confident that you know best what needs to be included or not, and the example given is to be used more as a guideline.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this article has helped you feel more confident about writing your letter to the President - not only in knowing what to write and how to structure it, but also how to organize a writing process that helps you get all your thoughts on paper, and make a strong point, coming across confidently.

So whichever type of letter you have decided to send, we're sure you're going to do just great.

Learn More:

How to Write a Postcard (Tips and Examples)
How to Write Like Ernest Hemingway
How to Write a Follow-Up Email After an Interview
How to Write a Formal Email
How to Write Height Correctly - Writing Feet and Inches
How Long Does It Take to Write 1000 Words
How to Write Comedy: Tips and Examples to Make People Laugh
How to Write an Inequality: From Number Lines or Word Problems
How to Write a Monologue: Tips and Examples
How to Write a 2-Week Notice Email
How to Write an Out-of-Office (OOO) Email
How to Write a Professional ‘Thank You’ Email
How to End an Email (Sign Off Examples)
How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay or Article
‘Fiancé' vs 'Fiancée': What's the Difference?

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Section 1. Writing Letters to Elected Officials

Chapter 33 Sections

Section 2. Writing Letters to the Editor
Section 3. Criticizing Unfavorable Action
Section 4. Filing a Complaint
Section 5. Seeking Enforcement of Existing Laws or Policies
Section 6. Using Personal Testimony
Section 7. Lobbying Decisionmakers
Section 8. Establishing Lines of Communication with the Opposition's Traditional Allies
Section 9. Conducting a Petition Drive
Section 10. General Rules for Organizing for Legislative Advocacy
Section 11. Developing and Maintaining Ongoing Relationships with Legislators and their Aides
Section 12. Registering Voters
Section 13. Conducting a Public Hearing
Section 14. Organizing Public Demonstrations
Section 15. Seeking a Negotiator, Mediator, or Fact-Finder
Section 16. Initiating Legal Action
Section 17. Organizing a Boycott
Section 18. Organizing a Strike
Section 19. Using Social Media for Digital Advocacy
Section 20. Advocacy Over and For the Long Term
Main Section

What is a letter to an elected official?

By now you are probably looking for ways to get your issue noticed by people who have the power to help you. To get the best results, you will probably want to try several of the direct action methods discussed in this chapter. In this section, we will show you the best way to write a letter to your elected officials.

A well-written personal letter may be the most effective way to communicate with elected officials. They want to know how their constituents feel about issues, especially when those issues involve decisions made by them.

Your elected officials usually know what advocacy groups are saying about an issue, but they may not understand how a particular decision affects you. A well-written letter describing your experiences, observations, and opinions may help persuade an official in your favor.

Until a short time ago, you had two options if you wanted to contact an elected official: telephone and the mail. In the last several years, e-mail has been added and become the medium of choice. It’s fast, it gets read, and – at least in the U.S. – virtually all elected officials, from town councils to the President, use and welcome e-mail communication. Any guidelines for writing letters in this section – the style to use, the information to include – apply to e-mail as well. A letter to your Congressman, whether it’s sent through the post office or electronically, should be formal and as well-written as you can make it. A political communication, to be taken seriously, should send the message that you care enough about the subject to take some care in writing about it. In the days before e-mail, officials generally considered letters more important than phone calls, because they took more thought and effort. A proper e-mail letter carries the same message – this person has really thought about this, and has put some work into sending his opinion.

Why write to elected officials?

Maybe you're not convinced that writing a letter to your elected official is the best way to spend your time. There are several reasons it’s worth your while, including:

To explain to an official how a particular issue affects you or your group.
To express support for a proposed law, policy, or course of action.
To oppose a proposed law, policy, or course of action.

In any of the above cases, the letter may include information about the issue that the official may not have, or suggest an alternate course of action that she hasn’t previously heard about.

To demonstrate to an official that his constituents are aware of an issue and have a real interest in the outcome.
To inform an official about an issue or situation, giving background and history that she may not have.
To attempt to persuade an official to vote in a certain way on an issue, or to take other related action.
To build your reputation as a thoughtful person in the eyes of the officials, and thus make your criticism or support more influential, or to put yourself in the position of the person to be consulted when the official needs information about your issue.
To request a meeting to discuss the issue or some related matter of concern.
To thank an official for support given, or action taken.
To criticize an official for a past vote or action.
To put an official on notice that you and your group are watching his actions, and that he needs to take your votes into account at election time.
To ask an official to state her position on a particular issue, or to reveal her voting record.
To ask for help or support.

This type of letter often falls under the heading of “constituent support,” and concern individual problems with government – being denied military disability payments, for example, or being singled out for harassment by a local official. The reason it’s included in this list is that it can sometimes lead an official to work to change procedures, policies, or laws that discriminate against or make life harder for a whole class of people – veterans, farmers, widows, etc.. Another purpose of this type of letter is to enlist the official’s support in a community or larger initiative of some sort. This may be a request that he become a legislative champion for the effort, that he simply lend his name to the initiative’s list of public supporters or sponsors, or that he serve on a board or steering committee for the effort.

The letter may include information about the issue that the official may not have, or suggest an alternate course of action that she hasn’t previously heard about.

This type of letter often falls under the heading of “constituent support,” and concern individual problems with government – being denied military disability payments, for example, or being singled out for harassment by a local official. The reason it’s included in this list is that it can sometimes lead an official to work to change procedures, policies, or laws that discriminate against or make life harder for a whole class of people – veterans, farmers, widows, etc..

Another purpose of this type of letter is to enlist the official’s support in a community or larger initiative of some sort. This may be a request that he become a legislative champion for the effort, that he simply lend his name to the initiative’s list of public supporters or sponsors, or that he serve on a board or steering committee for the effort.

When should you write letters to elected officials?

When would you want to write that letter? Whenever an issue arises that concerns your group, but especially when:

You want an official to consider a certain action or policy (e.g., increasing funding for a program for senior citizens).
There is an upcoming vote on a policy that concerns your group. Letters are most effective when the vote is about to be taken. This is a good time to use e-mail.
You want to respond (positively or negatively) to a completed action or a change in policy (e.g., enacting a law that requires people to wear seatbelts).
You want to point out a deficiency or need in a particular area (e.g. more public transportation to the community health clinics, more police patrols through your neighborhood).
You need information (e.g. about what happened the last time a certain issue came up for a vote).
You need advice (how to approach another official, what kind of event will attract large numbers of officials to take notice, etc.). In this instance, you’d probably be writing to an official that you’ve already had positive contact with.

Another way to look at this question is to think about when a letter will have the most effect. There are particular times when letters are more likely to be carefully considered, and when officials are more likely to be responsive.

Just before an election. Most elected officials become extremely anxious to please when they’re running for reelection.
Right before an important vote. Officials will usually be receiving communication from many people on both sides of the issue when an important vote is coming up, so this is an especially crucial time to let your opinion be known.
Just before and in the midst of the budget process. One of the most important things that legislators, town councils, and some other bodies do is set the budget for the coming year. Whether your concern is local, regional, state or provincial, or nationwide, most of the coming year’s policy and action related to health and human services, the environment, public safety, education, transportation, and a number of other important issues is determined, not by laws, but by the amount of money allowed for them in the annual budget. If you have priorities for funding, now is the time to make them known.
Immediately after an official has done something you approve or disapprove of. There are two reasons why this communication should be immediate. The first is so that the action is still fresh in the official’s mind, and he can respond to your support or criticism. The second is that he will be hearing from folks on the other side, and he needs to know either that not everyone approves of his action, or that, regardless of all the negative letters, there are people out there who think he’s doing the right thing. Officials need to know who supports or objects to which of their positions. It can help them continue to work for the things you care about in the face of opposition, or can push them in that direction if they’re not doing it already.

The really crucial times to write this sort of letter are when an official is under attack for doing something you believe in – think of officials in the American South in the 1950’s and ‘60’s who supported racial integration – or has just done something outrageous – given out a billion-dollar contract in return for a huge bribe, for example. In either of these cases, the official needs to know either that you support her wholeheartedly, and will work to help her, or that you want her to resign now, and will work to have her prosecuted and jailed.

How do you write letters to public officials?

So how do you write letters to public officials, anyhow? We have a number of guidelines that should help you not only write the letter, but increase the chances that it will be actually read and taken seriously.

Decide on the recipient.

Get the name, title, and address of the official who will make the decision about your issue. Watch to make sure that all names are spelled correctly and that you have the proper address. An incorrect name counts against you. An incorrect address may mean your letter might not arrive at all.

If you’re concerned with politics or issues at all, you should make it your business to know the names and contact information (address, office phone, and e-mail) of all those who represent you, from the most local to the federal government. In the U.S., at least, you can get to know your representatives at any level of government if you make the effort. If you’re an activist, you may meet with them, or at least speak to them or their aides fairly regularly. If that’s the case, letters from you will be taken seriously.

Open the letter in an official manner.

If you are writing to an elected official, show respect for the position by using the title of the office, and the official's full name. In any other letter, use the familiar term "Dear," the title Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, or Dr., and the official's full name.

Example: January 5, 2008 Title [Name of Representative or Senator] House of Representatives [OR] U.S. Senate Office Address Washington, D.C. 20515

Explain the purpose for your letter.

Let your reader know immediately what your letter is about. Tell him/her why you are concerned or pleased that a particular decision is being considered.

Example: The proposed increase in the gasoline tax will make the cost of transportation unreasonably high for commuters in the metropolitan area.

Summarize your understanding of the issue/decision being considered.

State the general impact that you expect to occur if a particular decision is made.

Example: The creation of a peer-counseling program at our high school will help reduce the number of teen pregnancies in our community.

Explain your position on this issue.

Describe in detail why you feel the decision made will lead to the impact you foresee.

Example: This will provide opportunities for our high school students to discuss pressures they experience with their peers at this critical time in their lives.

Describe what any changes will mean to you, and to others.

Describe specifically the positive or negative effects the decision will have on you personally and on those you represent. The more people affected by the decision, the more convincing you may be.

Example: This program will help provide career opportunities for teenagers in our community.

Identify others who may be affected by this decision.

Tell the official which, and how many, people will be affected. Statistics can be very helpful here.

Example: A recent study showed that 80% of minors who smoke obtain cigarettes at stores that do not ask for any identification. Increased enforcement of the existing laws prohibiting tobacco sales to minors could significantly reduce the rate of smoking among our youth.

Acknowledge past support.

Mention appropriate actions and decisions the official has made in the past and express thanks for them.

Example: We appreciate your past support of the bill protecting the rights of emergency medical crews to not be tested for HIV.

Describe what action you hope the official will take.

State specifically what action you (and those you represent) hope the official will take--and by what date, if there is a deadline.

Example: We hope you realize the best course of action to protect our community's infants and young children is to vote "yes" to House Bill #689b.

If you have written a letter that opposes some action, offer an alternative.

Example: I believe that rather than increasing the number of police cars patrolling our neighborhood, a cheaper and more effective alternative would be to work with our community to develop a community-policing program.

If you have time and you are committed, ask how you can help

Example: Our group is more than willing to explore the various options in helping make our community a safer place to live.

Close and sign your letter.

Thank the official and sign your full name. Make sure your address, and phone number are included.

Check your letter for spelling and grammatical errors.

Correct spelling and grammar won't do the job by themselves, but they can help. Why not give your letter every possible advantage?

Letter-writing campaigns

So far, we’ve discussed individual letters. A letter-writing tactic that can be particularly effective is a letter-writing campaign, where dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people write either to the same official (if they’re all in, or somehow represent people who are in, her district) or to many officials about a specific vote, policy, or budget item. This can be extremely effective, especially when the letter-writers are people who don’t usually contact their elected officials.

In Massachusetts, when funding for Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) was being debated in the state legislature, over a thousand ABE and ESOL students wrote letters to their representatives explaining why funding was important to them personally. At the same time, program staff and administrators, volunteers, and advocates wrote letters to their own representatives explaining why ABE and ESOL were important to their communities and to the state. The letters from students were particularly powerful, many of them explaining that a year or two earlier, they couldn’t have written those letters. It was the opportunity to enter an ABE or ESOL program that had made the difference. Legislators responded, and funding for adult education was significantly increased.

If you want to engage in a letter-writing campaign, you have to prepare properly. Many people, especially people who see themselves as powerless and unimportant, and who may have little education, are intimidated by the thought of writing to someone in power. In many countries, writing such a letter can carry a certain amount of economic, social, or physical risk. (After a State House rally in the same year as the letter-writing campaign described above, one ESOL student was overheard to remark, “In my country, they shoot you for this.”) Even in democracies governed by the rule of law, people may be fearful of being punished for speaking out.

In addition to reluctance based on feelings of fear and intimidation, many people affected by an issue – especially those with low levels of education – can be embarrassed by their poor writing skills, or feel that they don’t have anything convincing to say. They need help putting their letters together, and they need a model to go by. The coordinators of the letter-writing campaign should be aware of what they have to do to meet these needs.

First, the campaign should contact potential letter writers with a request for letters, and a simple but complete explanation of why the campaign is needed, and what the important issues relating to it are. People can’t write letters that make sense unless they understand clearly why they’re writing. The chances are that, while advocates can – and perhaps do – go over the politics of the issue in their sleep, most people affected by it know very little about how it plays out politically, or even about how the political system handles issues. The better they understand what’s happening and the specific job their letters are expected to do, the more persuasive the letters they can write.

Along with this, the campaign should provide one or more templates for letters. A template is a pattern for the letters, illustrating the form of the letter on the page, with the sender’s and recipient’s addresses and date in the appropriate places at the top, and a formal signature at the bottom, as well as a sample of the content of the letter.

A template literally means a cut-out pattern that is used to make several identical pieces of wood, metal, or some other material that are part of something larger. A builder might use a paper or wooden template to cut a number of identical rafters to hold up a roof, for example.

In general, people affected by the issue should include : A description of who they are – single working mother, person with a disability, job training participant, ex-Marine. The fact that they’re residents of the official’s district, or participants in a program in his district. What they want the official to do. Their connection to the issue – program participant, staff person, community volunteer, parent of a child with disabilities.

Anywhere from one sentence up to a paragraph or two explaining what the issue means to them and/or how it has affected them personally. For program participants and others affected by the issue, this is by far the most important part of the letter. Officials are more often swayed by personal stories than by impersonal statistics, no matter how telling those statistics may be. If people can explain how a program changed their lives for the better, or how the lack of services has been a barrier for them, it’s likely that officials will pay attention.

Finally, campaign coordinators should make sure that those for whom letter-writing is difficult have access to help. In the Massachusetts adult education campaign, that was easy: letters were often written as part of a class, and students approached them as writing assignments, completing two or three drafts before the letter was ready to be sent. In other situations, you’ll have to make sure that program staff and others are available to encourage and empower people, and to help them write the best letters they can.

Should you use e-mail?

With the speed and ease of delivery, it's common to use e-mail and send your correspondence via the computer. Doing so, particularly for formal letters, has several advantages:

It is much faster than normal mail. This also makes it possible for the official to respond much more quickly.
It saves the trouble of addressing an envelope, buying a stamp, and mailing your letter.
Electronic mail is less likely to get lost on the receiver's desk.

However, note that the last can also be a disadvantage . Unless the recipient goes through the trouble to print your message, it may be gone with one tap of the delete key – and out of mind as well. If you are going to use e-mail for your correspondence, be particularly clear and emphatic about your message from the beginning.

Writing letters to elected officials is a good way to explain how an issue affects you or your group. It also can build your reputation as a thoughtful person, giving you more influence with the people in power. A letter is also a good way to get your issue noticed by people who have the power to help you.

Online Resources

Action Tips provides information for communicating with public officials, and the webpage includes an example letter.

Contact Officials is a site provided by the United States government with links that give you contact information for the official you’re interested in contacting.

Early Childhood Advocacy Toolkit provides resources on framing your message and communicating with the media as well as policy makers and elected officials.

Effective E-mail Communication from the University of North Carolina provides tips on professional e-mail writing and communicating via e-mail.

How Do I Write an Effective Advocacy Letter? Is a webpage from the Hearing Loss Association of America, Delaware Chapters, and it provides information specific to drafting advocacy letters to elected officials.

10 Tips provides 10 tips on effectively communicating with legislators to make your message stand out to them.

Writing Your Elected Official is a guide provided by the Children’s Defense Fund, and it provides information on effectively communicating with elected officials.

Print Resources

Bates, D. J.(1985). Writing with precision . Washington, DC: Acropolis.

Fitch, B. (2010). Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials: Citizen Advocacy in State Legislatures and Congress: A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots. The Capitol Net, Inc. This book offers practical guidance for reaching elected officials with a variety of different communication strategies.

Homan, M.(1994). Promoting community change: Making it happen in the real world . Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks-Cole Publishing Co.

Managing correspondence--Plain letters, [available from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC: 20402]

Roman,K., & Raphaelson, J. (1992). Writing that works . New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Seekins, T., & Fawcett, S. The Research and Training Center on Independent Living.(1984). A guide to writing letters to public officials: Contributing to important decisions affecting you and others. University of Kansas.

Stonecipher, H. (1979). Editorial and persuasive writings: Opinion functions of the news media . New York, NY: Hastings House.

Write a Letter to the President

About this resource.

Throughout American history, people have voiced a variety of concerns to public officials through letter-writing. The archives at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum include more than 24 million pages of documents related to John F. Kennedy's family, his pre-presidential years, and his time as president. Among the wealth of primary source material are thousands of letters of concern. The 15-minute video explains the importance of letter writing, provides examples of letters to President Kennedy from young people, and guides students (and others!) to write their own letter to the president. The packet below includes letter-writing templates and the historical letters mentioned in the video. For a more in-depth lesson on letter-writing, see Making Your Voice Heard which is described below.

Access the lesson plan Making Your Voice Heard . Students can investigate historical letters to public officials, including several to President Kennedy, and then write their own letters of concern.

Watch the 15-minute demonstration video for tips and guidance on how your students can write and mail a letter to President Biden to make their voices a part of the historical record.

Download this packet with sample letters and templates.

How to Write a Letter to The President (With Sample)

As a college instructor and communication expert with extensive nonfiction and educational writing experience, Mary shares tips and advice related to a wide variety of topics.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

While the thought of writing a letter to the person who holds the highest elected office in the United States might seem a bit overwhelming at first thought, it's something that anyone can do. As a matter of fact, there is an Office of Presidential Correspondence that is responsible for receiving and replying to letters and other correspondence submitted to the president by constituents. You can use the printable template here to help you get started drafting a letter of your own.

Printable Template for Writing a Letter to the President

For a shortcut to formatting your letter to the president, download this customizable printable letter that's already addressed and formatted in a way that makes it easy for you to fill in your contact information and content. Just click the image below and the template will open as a PDF file that you can edit, save, and print. Adjust the text in the body of the message so that it's specific to the cause or issue that you want to share with the president.

Where to Send a Letter to the President

According to WhiteHouse.gov , letters to the president should be addressed as follows:

Sample Invitation Letters for Special Events to Get You Started
Student Council Speech Ideas & Tips to Help You Win
Considerate Sample Death Announcement Emails and Subject Lines

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500

Formatting Your Letter to the President

When drafting a letter to the president, please keep these formatting guidelines in mind.

Letters to the president should be submitted on standard 8.5" x 11" paper.
Typing is preferred. If, for some reason, you opt to send a handwritten letter, be sure to use ink (rather than pencil or another writing instrument) and ensure that it is neat and legible.
The greeting should specify either "Dear President [Last Name]," or "Dear [Mr. or Ms.] President,"
As a letter to the president is a formal document, so it's best to use a standard business letter format.
Write a draft of your letter, then proofread carefully to ensure that it conveys your intended meaning and is free from errors.

Other Options for Presidential Correspondence

Writing a letter isn't the only way to send correspondence to the president of the United States. It's also possible to submit an email or place a phone call, both of which will also be directed to the Office of Presidential Correspondence.

The White House has an email submission form that can be used for this purpose; you can find it at WhiteHouse.gov/contact . The body of the message in the printable letter above may be helpful to you for drafting the text of your email; just edit it as needed to convey your message and copy into the email form.

You'll need to include your contact information along with the message you are sending.
The form is pre-set to opt-in those who send messages to receive periodic updates from the White House via email. If you do not wish to receive such updates, you'll need to uncheck the box at the bottom of the form before submitting.

If you'd prefer to call the Office of Presidential Correspondence, you may do so using the following telephone numbers.

Comments: 202-456-1111 or for TTY/TTD, call 202-456-6213
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Visitors Office: 202-456-6213 (TTY/TTD capable)

Sending Your Message to the President

If there is a cause or issue you are passionate about and you'd like to get information about it to the highest levels of the United States government, you may want to consider writing a letter to the president. Whether you start from a blank page or use the template above, you may also want to consider creating a version of your letter to submit to your congressional representatives as well. Visit Senate.gov and Congress.gov to identify your representatives and get their contact details.

How to Write an Effective Letter to the President

A step-by-step guide on writing a compelling letter to the president..

description: a person holding a pen and a blank piece of paper, ready to write a letter.

Introduction

Writing a letter to the President of the United States can be a powerful way to voice your opinions, concerns, or support for certain issues. Whether you are an individual citizen, a member of a religious order, or a community leader, your letter can make a difference. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to write an effective letter to the President. Introduce Yourself

Begin your letter by introducing yourself. Include your name, occupation, and any relevant affiliations or community involvement. This will help the President understand your perspective and credibility on the matter. Be concise and provide only essential information. State Your Purpose

Clearly state the purpose of your letter in a single sentence. Identify the issue or topic you wish to address and why it is important to you. This will help the President understand the main focus of your letter right from the beginning. Provide Background Information

Offer some background information on the issue you are writing about. Explain why it matters on a larger scale and how it affects individuals or communities. Use facts, statistics, or personal anecdotes to make your case compelling and relatable. Present Your Argument

Present your argument or viewpoint on the issue. Use logical reasoning and evidence to support your stance. Be respectful and avoid personal attacks or inflammatory language. Instead, focus on presenting a well-reasoned argument that highlights the importance of your position. Offer Solutions or Suggestions

If applicable, offer potential solutions or suggestions to address the issue at hand. Provide feasible alternatives or actions that the President can take to resolve the problem. Make sure your suggestions are practical and supported by evidence or expert opinions. Appeal to Shared Values

Appeal to shared values or principles that the President and the nation uphold. Highlight how your position aligns with these values and emphasize the positive impact that addressing the issue can have on society as a whole. This can help create a sense of common ground and increase the likelihood of your letter being taken seriously. Express Personal Connection

Share a personal story or connection to the issue to make your letter more relatable and impactful. Explain how the issue has affected you, your family, or your community. Personal anecdotes can evoke empathy and demonstrate the real-life consequences of inaction. Call to Action

End your letter with a clear call to action. Specify what you want the President to do or consider based on your arguments and suggestions. Be direct and concise, ensuring that your request is realistic and achievable. Express Gratitude

Thank the President for their time and consideration. Express gratitude for the opportunity to voice your concerns or opinions. Maintaining a polite and respectful tone throughout the letter is crucial, as it increases the chances of your letter being read and taken seriously. Proofread and Edit

Before sending your letter, proofread it carefully for any spelling or grammatical errors. Ensure that your points are clear and concise. Make any necessary edits to improve the overall clarity and impact of your letter. Send the Letter

After finalizing your letter, address it to the President of the United States and send it via mail or email. Consider sending a physical copy for added impact. Keep in mind that receiving a response may take time, so be patient and follow up if necessary. Share Your Letter

Consider sharing your letter with others who may have similar concerns or interests. Posting it on social media or submitting it to relevant publications can amplify your message and generate further support for your cause. Conclusion

Writing a letter to the President is a valuable way to participate in democracy and advocate for change. By following this step-by-step guide, you can craft an effective and impactful letter that may influence policy decisions and contribute to a better society.

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Write a Letter to the President

Students will write a letter or send an email to the president of the United States.
Students will express their opinions on current issues in a letter.
Mail Address: The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
Email Form: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Election Resources
Encourage students to share their ideas on what the president should set as goals for his term in office.
Keep notes on the board of the major topics discussed.
Tell students to write a letter or send an email to the president (see addresses above) detailing their ideas.
After editing the students' work, send off the letters or emails.

Students will write a letter to the president with details of their ideas for goals to be met during his/her administration. This is a great activity for Letter Writing Week, observed in January.

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How to Write a Letter to the President AND Have an Impact

Writing a letter to the president can be an effective way for advocates to have their voices heard, influence policy decisions, and move public opinion if done with some planning and intentionality. The vast majority of letters to the President go largely unheeded because of the sheer volume of letters received and the lack of planning and follow through on the part of the authors. This post lays out step-by-step how to send a letter to the President and how to have the biggest impact possible.

To send a letter to the president of the United States, authors may use this electronic contact form on the White House website or send a paper copy of the letter to The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20500.*

Despite the ease of communication today, authors should use this process sparingly and carefully time their efforts to maximize impact. Advocates should also be prepared to do outreach to and coordinate with supporters, allies, the media, and other public officials before sending the letter. Over several years, I have led many civil society efforts in writing to the president and, while many factors are outside of the control of organizers, there is more or less a formula for maximizing impact.

Advocates, of course, never cease to be creative and this “formula” is a series of best practices I have accumulated in my work; it’s not meant to be a rigid process nor does it guarantee any type of success.

*Note that some websites still direct readers to the old White House email addresses ([email protected]; [email protected], [email protected]); however these email addresses have not been active since the Obama years when much of the administration transitioned to using contact forms. Always check the White House website for the most up-to-date contact method.

Getting Your Message in front of the President Best Practices for Content & Timing Sample Letter to the President Garnering Additional Support and Signatories Generating Media Buzz & Publicizing the Letter Additional Actions to Reinforce the Impact of Your Letter

Getting Your Message in front of the President

Getting a message in front of the president is understandably a difficult task and, in order to be effective, the logistics of sending a letter should be carefully thought through. Just using the White House contact form is sufficient, but there are plenty of things that advocates can do to help give their message the best chance of being heard.

To begin, a case can be made for sending the letter through both the contact form and through the regular snail mail. This gives your letter two chances of being “logged” by White House staff. Trust that the letter will be read by someone, but when the letter is received it will likely be entered into a database and categorized according to the issue by a White House staffer (potentially an intern).

What happens from the point of the letter being logged likely varies greatly by the administration, staff, and the letter’s message and quality. There is no guarantee that the message will ever reach the president, but advocates can improve their chances by sending the letter to other officials in the administration as well as their members of Congress (more on that below).

Identifying other relevant officials and sending the letter to their office provides advocates with more chances of the message being logged. For example, if an advocate were writing a letter concerning farming practices, they could also send the letter to the Department of Agriculture. Often, specific bureaus, offices, and personnel can all be identified within relevant Departments, offering more entry points for advocates to send their message. Advocates should seek to find as many relevant contacts as possible.

Truthfully, the best way to identify and contact officials in the administration is through paid-for services such as Leadership Connect or Bloomberg Government. These types of web services offer up-to-date directories of government officials, which can be invaluable – especially when trying to contact senior officials. However, these services can be pricey, and sending letters through publicly available contact information can work if these tools aren’t available.

Best Practices for Content & Timing

Letters to any public official and especially the president should always be concise. Whoever receives the letter is likely a very busy person. So, authors should boil the message down to as few words as possible to increase the chances the message will be read and understood. Additionally, the tone of the letter should always be respectful even when passions are high; using diplomatic language does not betray an advocate’s position, but offers the best chances at advancing civil discourse.

The first paragraph should provide a clear and concise introduction of the authors and the reason for writing. For example, “Dear President [Last Name], As a network of environmental, faith-based, human rights, and other civil society organizations, we write to urge you to…” If you’re writing as an individual or group of individuals, state your connection to the issue and any relevant expertise.

The following paragraph or paragraphs should state the “ask” (or what the author would like the president to do). Asks can be general such as “stop the war” or very specific such as “repeal National Security Directive X section (Y) paragraph Z…” If there are several asks, try to boil them down and list them in a bullet point format.

After the ask is clearly stated, the following paragraphs should be the best arguments for why the president should listen to the authors. This should be the best support material advocates have for their case. Authors might want to cite research, quote experts or other public officials, provide powerful anecdotes, or state their most convincing talking points. Don’t be afraid to use footnotes!

A good practice is to wrap up with a summary paragraph and finish with a congenial conclusion thanking the president for their consideration. The letter should be no more than around 3 pages. Authors can provide supporting material such as a report by attaching the documents and referencing the attachments in the body of the letter.

Authors should also consider the timing of sending the letter. Generally speaking, the beginning of a new administration (or new term with an incumbent administration) is one of the best times for a message to be heard. Presidents and their staff conduct policy reviews when they enter office and it can be a perfect time to provide input (especially because many career staffers are looking for ideas to present to their new bosses). Other good times to send a letter include when the issue is in the news, when Congress takes a relevant action, ahead of a major relevant event, after a sudden relevant incident, or when coordinated with other high-profile advocacy initiatives.

Sample Letters to the President

Below is a free downloadable example of a letter to the president. The example uses a fictional national reading program for illustrative purposes.

Garnering Support and Getting Additional Signatories

Letters to the president are always more powerful when sent by a group of people and/or organizations. To get allies on board it’s best to work with a small group first to help draft the letter. Writing the letter by consensus helps ensure more interests are represented and should give the letter a sharper message.

Once the draft is agreed upon, the small group of authors should decide on how a few key factors on how to handle endorsements. Questions to consider include:

If organizers collect both, it’s important to have a good organization to individual ratio. Having more individuals than organizations is usually ideal (a 2:1 ratio is a good rule of thumb). Though, high-profile figures such as former government officials or celebrities may be an exception.
Some organizations operate based on satellite offices; these offices sometimes have the authority to sign on their office but not the organization as a whole. For example, a group may sign as ‘Advocacy Action – Pittsburgh Office.’ Organizers should agree if they will take chapter endorsements or only national/headquarter endorsements.
Individuals and organizations that are not from the U.S. may want to join the letter; however, the president is not accountable to these groups and so their signature carries less weight. These organizations can still be added to the letter to make a point so long as they are credible, verified, and clearly indicated to be from outside the U.S.

Once organizers have an understanding of how to handle endorsements, advocates can circulate the letter to listservs and contacts to solicit signatures. It’s most effective to indicate the original group of authors when asking for signatures to show initial support for the effort. Set and indicate a deadline to sign on and try to give it as much time as possible.

Pro-tip: Google forms is a great way to collect signatures and build lists for future efforts. When asking for signatures, it’s good practice to collect the following information:

Name of Individual/Organization
Name of contact
Email of contact
Approximately how many supporters (defined by membership, email lists, etc.) organizational sign-ons have
Location/Origin: U.S. based or international

Generating Media Buzz & Publicizing the Letter

A letter to the president is a good opportunity for advocates to engage the press with their message (don’t overlook local media either). Before sending the letter, the authors can draft a press release to issue on the day they send the letter. Typically, a press release contains a few quotes provided by the primary authors so journalists have something to grab for a story. If organizers have enough lead time and significant support for their letter, they can try to work with a reporter the day before the letter is sent so that the story appears first thing in the morning.

Additional Actions to Reinforce the Impact of Your Letter

Complimenting the letter with other actions or a series of actions can increase the impact of a letter exponentially. However, organizing becomes more complicated and usually needs more lead time. If organizers have the capacity, they may want to consider complementing their letter to the president with the actions such as:

Writing and placing op-eds before or immediately after the letter is sent.
Demonstrations such as protests, vigils, etc.
Asking members of Congress to send a similar letter or to speak with the administration about the issue.

Dan Jasper is the founder and primary author of Street Civics. He specializes in advocacy and international affairs.

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Letters to the President

In this lesson, students will learn both to be informed and to be engaged as they learn about an issue that is important to them, and communicate their thoughts on the issue to the President of the United States.

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Letters to a President: How to Navigate the Growing Concerns of the Great Depression?

Students will be tasked with analyzing correspondence to President Hoover during the Great Depression. Students will use the CLOSE reading strategy to analyze the articles provided below. As students read the primary sources, they need to recognize the problems facing America and determine if their is any evidence from the letters stating how people writing Hoover think he should address their needs. While reading, students will also take notes about each letter to share with the class through Google Docs. Once the students are finished, we will discuss the letters as a class and preview what Hoover might do to help fix the economy and help the American citizens. (This lesson will come directly after our focus on the stock market crashing and the reasons behind the crash.)

Students will be tasked with analyzing primary sources from the Great Depression in order to understand the pressure and weight President Hoover faced from outside the White House to fix the Great Depression. This activity allows the students to use primary source documents, while using the CLOSE reading strategy to interpret the pressures of the Presidency during the Great Depression on President Hoover.

Students will demonstrate successful utilization of the CLOSE reading strategy.
Students will explain the outside influences that Herbert Hoover faced from outside of his presidency when facing the conundrum of the Great Depression.

T1S4A - Using a United States’ historical lens, analyze the opportunity costs and benefits of economic decisions on society as a whole as well as on individuals post c. 1870.

T1S1A - Trace the significant events and developments of the Great Depression and WWII.

T4S4A - Apply the economic concepts of innovation, supply and demand, barriers to trade, labor, business cycle, credit, and wage gap to explain the causes of the Great Depression.

T4S1B - Evaluate the responses of American leaders to the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II.

The American Vision (Textbook if needed for background information)

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465641 - Letter from Representative S. A. Kendall to President Herbert Hoover

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465634 - Letter from John Beemster to President Herbert Hoover

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465630 - Letter from Frederick C. Finkle to President Herbert Hoover With Acknowledgment

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465636 - Letter from Arthur Smith to President Herbert Hoover

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465659 - Message from Senator Daniel Hastings to President Herbert Hoover

At the beginning of the lesson, we will hold a short discussion about the previous day’s material that covered the reasons why the stock market crashed.
Students will then be placed into pairs.
Students will then be introduced into to the five letters sent to President Hoover. The students will be informed to highlight and define any words they do not know, circle the important message from the letter, and paraphrase the letter to Hoover in a few sentences.
After students have utilized the CLOSE reading strategy on the letters, the class will hold a discussion over the letter. Students will need to highlight the issues facing America and what solutions the writers offer President Hoover.
After reading the letters, paraphrasing, and compiling the problems and solutions offers, students must create a set of solutions to help President Hoover remedy the Great Depression.
As a class, we will then compile a list of solutions to present to President Hoover based on the letters provided if we were his advisors from 1929-1932.
At the end of the lesson, students will hand in or “share” through Google Docs their paraphrased letters along with their solutions to President Hoover.

Name/s:________________________________________ (25pts)

Letters to President Hoover (CLOSE Reading)

How to Address the President

How to Address the President? Consider these two ways: —– #1) Direct address. Actually writing or speaking to the President. See – How to address the current President . —– #2) Referring to the President in conversation or in text. See – “How to Refer to the President?”

_____ The President of the United States (POTUS)

—- Envelope or address block on letter or email: —- —- The President —- —- The White House —- —- 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. —- —- Washington, DC 20500

—- Letter salutation: —- —- Dear Mr./Madam President:

—- Conversation: —- —- Mr./Madam President

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

How to Address Joseph Biden

While the President is referred to in the media as President Biden, Joe Biden , and Biden , these are not correct forms of direct address. In direct address the President’s given and surname are not used.

—- Envelope, official: —- —- The President —- —- The White House —- —- 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. —- —- Washington, DC 20500

—- Letter salutation: —- —- Dear Mr. President:

—- Complimentary close: —- —- Most respectfully,

—- Announced: —- —- The President of the United States

—- Introduction: —- —- Mr. President, may I present …

—- Conversation: —- —- Mr. President

— Robert Hickey

How to Refer to The President?

How should the you refer to the current President (POTUS) ? I hear Presidents refered to as Mr. (Surname) and this doesn’t sound respectful of him or the office. ———- – Ms. Brazile In Honolulu

Dear MBIH: First we need to define: (1) A reference to The President in a news story. This is not a form of address, it is an editorial issue. (2) Direct forms of address used when addressing the President orally or in writing. Here are those forms .

—– You’ll hear and see these forms in the media: ———- (The Office) The President —– —– (Full Name) Joseph R. Biden, Jr. —– —– President (Name) President Biden —– —– (Surname Only) Biden —– —– Mr. (Surname) Mr. Biden

FIRST: Referring to the POTUS in orally or in writing as The President is always correct . There is only one President at any given time.

SECOND: In the media, reporters use all the forms above. When they do so, they are not addressing the President. The are referring to him and wanting to be clear of whom they are speaking. Some editorial style books state first references be — (Special honorific or rank)+(Name) | President Biden — and subsequent references be — Mr. (Name) | Mr. Biden . This editorial style is not disrespectful. It’s just a convention to streamline the text.

THIRD: In direct oral address – actually speaking to the President – the President is addressed as: Mr. President

—- His given name or surname are not used in his presence. This pattern of not using the name is typical around the world when addressing the highest officials – chiefs of state, heads of government, speakers of houses, chief justices and a very few others. Listen to a White House news conference: Reporters addressing the POTUS as Mr. President are doing it correctly.

FOURTH: You will hear people address the POTUS as President (Name) | President Biden. This is not traditionally correct. Maybe the speaker doesn’t know the tradition … or has been listening to the evening news and thinks their references to President (Full Name) | President Biden is how you’d address the POTUS?

Whenever I hear a reporter do it wrong, I think I should send them an informative note. After having done it innumerable times, I don’t think it does any good.

See these Posts on The President: — — — President of the United States — — — President-elect of the United States — — — Former President of the United States — — — Spouse of the President of the United States

Related Posts: — —- — Acting — —- — Candidate for Office — —- — Deceased — —- — Designate — —- — Elect — —- — Former — —- — The Honorable, Use of — —- — Interim — —- — The Late, Use of — —- — Nominee — —- — Pro Tempore — —- — Retiree

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.) The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them. ___ What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions , etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—- #1) At right on desktops , at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones , is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—- #2) If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail . I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.) Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—- #3) If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey

Recommended Resources: The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW) and Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA) For more information see the Protocol Resources page.

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Letter To The President

Last Updated On September 7, 2018 By Letter Writing Leave a Comment

Only pressing and urgent issues should be written to the President. The issue which is being written should impact and benefit the country and should not be a personal issue. Anyone can write a letter to the President. Quite often, the senders receive a reply too. Make sure to write a formal and prudent letter as it is the only way to make an impression on the recipient. Keep in mind a few basic etiquettes for writing the head of the country.

Tips For Writing A Letter To The President

Issues which impact the society or country should only be written to the President.
The content of the letter should be transparent
The letter should be short, brief and up to a point.
The name, address and contact details of the writer should be mentioned in the letter for authenticity and security, and if the writer wants to be contacted, it will be easier.
The issue being discussed should be supported by live examples.

Letter To The President Template

Use our free Letter To The President to help you get started. If you need additional help or more examples check out some of the sample letters below.

_____ (Name of the Person Writing the Letter)

______ (Address of the Person Writing the Letter)

Date: _______ (Date of Writing the Letter)

_____ (Name of the Recipient)

______ (Address of the Recipient)

Subject: _________ (What is the Issue to be Discussed)

Dear Madam/Sir,

My name is ____ (What is Your Name), and I stay in ______ (Where do you stay). For the last three years, our colony residents are facing the problem of ___________ (What is the Reason for Writing the Letter). Everyone in our colony is facing a tough time because of this serious issue.

We would be highly obliged if you can take some time out for us so that we can explain to you the seriousness of the issue.

We hope to receive a positive response from you.

Yours sincerely,

____ (Your Name)

_____ (Your Designation in the Colony)

Sample Letter

Prakash Kumar, 25, Garden Road, Lal Bagh, Bangalore

The President, New Delhi

Subject: To resolve the increasing menace of stray dogs in the country

My name is Prakash Kumar and I stay in Lalbagh colony of Bangalore. For the last three years, our colony residents are facing the problem of stray dog menace. This problem is increasing every day as one of the ladies who resides in the colony gives them food. So these dogs do not go anywhere. We told the lady not to give food but she would not listen. Several casualties happened because of these dogs. I understand that several colonies in the city have the same problem. We have written to the civil authorities but there is no response from them.

The residents of our colony have come up with one solution, and we should get your approval so that government officials involved can extend their services. There is a plot of unused land which can be given in the name of the President. All the dogs can be kept here. Some caretakers can be hired to help to feed and look after the dogs.

In case you approve, we can implement this plan all over the city. We can ensure the safety of the residents. We can discuss the details of the cost of the project with your office. We request you to please allow some time for us so that we can discuss and implement the plan.

Prakash Kumar, Colony Secretary

Email Format

The following is the Email Format that should be followed while writing a Letter to the President.

To: [email protected] From: [email protected] SUBJECT: Violation of Academic Curriculum.

Dear Mr. President

My name is Naomi Westbrooks, and I am a student at Harvard University. Today I am writing this email to share my thoughts on strict violations of rules by my Institution. I have been studying Law for last two years. The Institution has very strict rules for attendance. In other words, my institution lays more emphasis upon attendance rather than the performance of each student.

The issue has come to affect those who are in urgent need of leaves. The Institution has even threatened us for non-grant of our degree. Therefore, I humbly request you to kindly look into the matter. It is a question for the future generation of the country. Thank you for giving time to read my letter. I wish to receive a fruitful reply from your end.

Thank You. Naomi Welbrooks 729 Bungalow Road Omaha, NE 68114

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Remarks by President Biden on Recent Events on College Campuses

Roosevelt Room

11:07 A.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Q Good morning. THE PRESIDENT: Before I head to North Carolina, I wanted to speak a few moments about what’s going on on our college campuses here.

We’ve all seen the images. And they put to the test two fundamental American principles.

Excuse me. (Coughs.) The first is the right to free speech and for people to peacefully assemble and make their voices heard. The second is the rule of law. Both must be upheld. We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent. The American people are heard. In fact, peaceful protest is in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues. But — but neither are we a lawless country. We are a civil society, and order must prevail. Throughout our history, we’ve often faced moments like this because we are a big, diverse, free-thinking, and freedom-loving nation. In moments like this, there are always those who rush in to score political points. But this isn’t a moment for politics. It’s a moment for clarity. So, let me be clear. Peaceful protest in America — violent protest is not protected; peaceful protest is. It’s against the law when violence occurs. Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It’s against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduations — none of this is a peaceful protest. Threatening people, intimidating people, instilling fear in people is not peaceful protest. It’s against the law. Dissent is essential to democracy. But dissent must never lead to disorder or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester and their college education. Look, it’s basically a matter of fairness. It’s a matter of what’s right. There’s the right to protest but not the right to cause chaos. People have the right to get an education, the right to get a degree, the right to walk across the campus safely without fear of being attacked. But let’s be clear about this as well. There should be no place on any campus, no place in America for antisemitism or threats of violence against Jewish students. There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it’s antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans. It’s simply wrong. There is no place for racism in America. It’s all wrong. It’s un-American. I understand people have strong feelings and deep convictions. In America, we respect the right and protect the right for them to express that. But it doesn’t mean anything goes. It needs to be done without violence, without destruction, without hate, and within the law. You know, make no mistake: As President, I will always defend free speech. And I will always be just as strong in standing up for the rule of law. That’s my responsibility to you, the American people, and my obligation to the Constitution. Thank you very much. Q Mr. President, have the protests forced you to reconsider any of the policies with regard to the region? THE PRESIDENT: No.

Thank you. Q Mr. President, do you think the National Guard should intervene? THE PRESIDENT: No. 11:11 A.M. EDT

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Apr. 29, 2024

Letter from the president: end-of-semester message and well wishes.

Dear students, faculty and staff,

As the spring semester comes to a close and we approach commencement, I am writing to thank you for continuing to uphold the values that make the Rice community so special. We are beautifully shaped by a unique culture of care that is central to what makes this university a special place to learn, live and grow.

I have enjoyed seeing many of you and celebrating at various end-of-year events that acknowledge the contributions and achievements of students, faculty and staff. Your excellence and commitment as Owls is invigorating and inspirational.

This academic year has also presented the difficult and profound challenge of witnessing painful world events that have brought deep suffering to many in our community. This past Friday, some of our students concluded a teach-in on campus as part of a national student movement in response to the more than reported 30,000 Palestinian lives lost during the conflict between Israel and Hamas that painfully continues. The students' activities were met with attention and debate, and not all were in agreement. But I believe many would concur that the right to responsible, personal expression and protest must be maintained, particularly on a university campus. Our students expressed themselves peacefully and our administration was careful to prevent activity that would have jeopardized the safety of any Rice student. I am proud of and grateful for the way the Rice University Police Department supported and protected our students with moderation and open communication. The student organizers of the teach-in also made several modifications to help maintain an environment that minimized disruption, departing the space each evening. Rice experienced no major incidents and no arrests during the four-day event. We are grateful for the respect and tolerance members of the Rice community have shown each other despite differences of perspectives.

While personal expression and academic freedom remain a valued and protected priority in our community, let us also be reminded that hate speech of any kind will not be tolerated. We were shocked and devastated by the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel and are concerned about the rise of antisemitism, islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate across the country. Rice unequivocally considers calls for violence or genocide against any group to be evil, wrong and immoral. Such behavior violates Rice’s policies and could violate federal law. We strongly denounce islamophobia, antisemitism, and other forms of hatred and intolerance that are antithetical to our values and our mission. We will remain vigilant in monitoring such communication through the many ways in which to report wrongful conduct. Those who violate our policies will face consequences through our established processes. We’ve had occasion to activate these processes this semester, which reinforces how seriously we approach and investigate reported violations.

As the conflict in the Middle East continues, our distinguished panel of faculty scholars continues to educate and advise the administration on the complex issues related to the war. The Conversations on the Middle East education series that began in March will continue with additional engagement opportunities during the fall semester. Programming will continue to emphasize our culture of care and the importance of civil discourse, free expression and approaches to difficult conversations.

As we count down the days to commencement, there will be beautification efforts across campus to prepare for one of the most special times of the year for our community. We will use this honored academic tradition to focus on the outstanding accomplishments of our graduates, faculty and staff. Such accomplishments are representative of the collective commitment to excellence that defines our community. Our members of the Class of 2024, in particular, have shown incredible resilience and spirit after the COVID-19 pandemic years. We salute them, our graduates, and the family and friends who have supported them. And, we welcome this time when all of our students can celebrate their friends, classmates and community. Information about commencement guidelines and safety efforts to give our graduates the best experience on their special day can be found here . We encourage those attending a commencement event to read them carefully.

As I approach the two-year mark of my presidency, I want to express my profound gratitude for the way in which the feedback, criticism, engagement and support of our trustees, alumni, donors and community partners have helped me during a very challenging period. The more I learn about what fellow university presidents across the country are experiencing, the more I recognize how much I benefit as your leader from the wellspring of strength, courage and generosity that marks our community.

The summer ahead is an opportunity for reflection and renewal as well as a time to study abroad, participate in internships and continue research endeavors. I hope that we can use these next months to recharge and return this fall with a restored sense of purpose and community. Paula and I encourage you all to take time to rest and, if needed, to reach out for support .

It is my honor to serve as your president. Go Owls!

With gratitude,

President Reginald DesRoches

United States Senator John Barrasso

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May 8, 2024

Barrasso, lummis, senate republicans demand biden reject world health organization agreements.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both R-Wyo., joined Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and the entire Senate Republican Conference in sending a letter to President Biden urging the administration to withdraw support of two international agreements being considered at the World Health Assembly (WHA) this month.

These agreements would grant greater power to the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare public health emergencies and expand their authority over member states. In the letter, the senators argue that these regulations would risk U.S. sovereignty and highlight the organization’s failures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The senators call on President Biden to withdraw support and focus on reforms that would address the persistent failures of the WHO.

“The WHO's failure during the COVID-19 pandemic was as total as it was predictable and did lasting harm to our country. The United States cannot afford to ignore this latest WHO inability to perform its most basic function and must insist on comprehensive WHO reforms before even considering amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR)…” the senators wrote.

“We are deeply concerned that your administration continues to support these initiatives and strongly urge you to change course,” the senators continued. “Should you ignore this advice, we state in the strongest possible terms that we consider any such agreement to be a treaty requiring the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senate under Article II Section 2 of the Constitution.”

Full text of the letter can be found here .

Dear Mr. President:

Next month, during the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly (WHA), your administration is expected to commit the United States to two international agreements that would strengthen the World Health Organization's (WHO) authority to declare public health emergencies of international concern and expand the WHO's authority over member states during such emergencies. This is unacceptable.

The WHO's failure during the COVID-19 pandemic was as total as it was predictable and did lasting harm to our country. The United States cannot afford to ignore this latest WHO inability to perform its most basic function and must insist on comprehensive WHO reforms before even considering amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) or any new pandemic related treaty that would increase WHO authority. We are deeply concerned that your administration continues to support these initiatives and strongly urge you to change course.

Article 55 of the IHR requires the text of any IHR amendment to be communicated to member states at least four months before the WHA at which they are to be considered. As the WHO has still not provided final amendment text to member states, we submit that IHR amendments may not be considered at next month's WHA. Some of the over 300 proposals for amendments made by member states would substantially increase the WHO's health emergency powers and constitute intolerable infringements upon U.S. sovereignty. As such, it was essential that the WHO abide by the four-month notice period to allow member states time to ensure that no traces of such proposals were included in a final amendment package for consideration by the WHA. Having failed to do so, amendments are not in order.

The WHO's most recent publicly available draft of its new pandemic response treaty is dead on arrival. Instead of addressing the WHO's well-documented shortcomings, the treaty focuses on mandated resource and technology transfers, shredding intellectual property rights, infringing free speech, and supercharging the WHO. Moving forward with a new pandemic preparedness and response treaty ignores the fact that we are still unsure of COVID-l 9's origins because Beijing continues to block a legitimate independent investigation. We strongly urge you not to join any pandemic related treaty, convention, or agreement being considered at the Seventy-seventh WHA. Should you ignore this advice, we state in the strongest possible terms that we consider any such agreement to be a treaty requiring the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senate under Article II Section 2 of the Constitution.

In light of the high stakes for our country and our constitutional duty, we call upon you to (1) withdraw your administration's support for the current IHR amendments and pandemic treaty negotiations, (2) shift your administration's focus to comprehensive WHO reforms that address its persistent failures without expanding its authority, and (3) should you ignore these calls, submit any pandemic related agreement to the Senate for its advice and consent.

Permalink: https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2024/5/barrasso-lummis-senate-republicans-demand-biden-reject-world-health-organization-agreements

Encampment in Harvard Yard

Dear Members of the Harvard Community, Over the last 12 days, the encampment in Harvard Yard has disrupted our educational activities and operations. The right to free speech, including protest and dissent, is vital to the work of the research university. But it is not unlimited . It must be exercised in a time, place, and manner that respects the right of our community members to do their work, pursue their education, and enjoy the opportunities that a residential campus has to offer. The encampment favors the voices of a few over the rights of many who have experienced disruption in how they learn and work at a critical time of the semester. I call on those participating in the encampment to end the occupation of Harvard Yard. The disruptions from this encampment at the heart of the University have been numerous. Harvard College exams and other important activities and events have had to move elsewhere. Safety concerns over the past two weeks, including those raised as a result of students sleeping outdoors overnight, have required us to sharply limit access to Harvard Yard. Although some community members have said they are undisturbed by these conditions, we continue to hear reports of students whose ability to sleep, study, and move freely about the campus has been disrupted by the actions of the protesters. We are especially troubled by increasing reports that some within, and some supporting, the encampment have intimidated and harassed other members of our community. When Harvard staff have requested to see IDs in order to enforce our policies, supporters of the encampment have at times yelled at them, tried to encircle them, and otherwise interfered with their work. We have also received reports that passers-by have been confronted, surveilled, and followed. Such actions are indefensible and unacceptable. As first-year students move out and as we begin our extensive preparations for Commencement, this ongoing violation of our policies becomes more consequential. Thousands of family members, friends, and loved ones will soon join us to celebrate the achievements of graduate and undergraduate students who have earned the right to walk in Commencement. This celebration is the culmination of years of hard work and accomplishment. The members of the Class of 2024 deserve to enjoy this milestone uninterrupted and unimpeded. It would be especially painful if students who graduated from high school or college during the pandemic were denied a full graduation ceremony for a second time. The individuals participating in the activities of the encampment have been informed repeatedly that violations of University and School policies will be subject to disciplinary consequences and that further violations and continued escalation will result in increasingly severe sanctions. Last week, faculties across the University began delivering disciplinary notices to students who continued to participate in unauthorized, disruptive activity in the Yard despite these notices. I write today with this simple message: The continuation of the encampment presents a significant risk to the educational environment of the University. Those who participate in or perpetuate its continuation will be referred for involuntary leave from their Schools. Among other implications, students placed on involuntary leave may not be able to sit for exams, may not continue to reside in Harvard housing, and must cease to be present on campus until reinstated. Enforcement of these policies, which are essential to our educational mission, is an obligation we owe to our students and the Harvard community more broadly. It is not, as some have suggested, a rejection of discussion and debate about the urgent issues that concern the University, the nation, and the world. As an academic institution, we do not shy away from hard and important questions. There are many ways for our community to engage constructively in reasoned discussion of complex issues, but initiating these difficult and crucial conversations does not require, or justify, interfering with the educational environment and Harvard’s academic mission. Our disagreements are most effectively addressed through candid, constructive dialogue, building not on disruption, but on facts and reason. Sincerely, Alan M. Garber

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Text of April 30 Letter From Columbia’s President to N.Y.P.D.

Dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia University in Manhattan were arrested Tuesday night by hundreds of police officers in riot gear after Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, requested police intervention.

Police officers in helmets file past fencing and a lawn full of orange, blue, green and gray tents.

By The New York Times

April 30, 2024

Dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia University in Manhattan were arrested Tuesday night by hundreds of police officers in riot gear.

Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, who goes by Minouche, said in a letter to the New York Police Department that her decision to request its intervention had been made with the support of the university’s trustees and that the actions of demonstrators “have become a magnet for protesters outside our gates, which creates significant risk to our campus.” The following is the text of the letter from Columbia’s website.

Letter to NYPD - Apr. 30

The letter below was sent by President Minouche Shafik to the New York Police Department’s deputy commissioner for legal matters on April 30, 2024.

Michael Gerber, Deputy Commissioner, Legal Matters

New York City Police Department

Dear Deputy Commissioner Gerber,

I write with regard to the unrest on Columbia’s campus.

As we have discussed, in the early morning of April 30, 2024 a group of individuals entered Hamilton Hall for the purpose of occupying the building. The building was closed at the time the students entered. An individual hid in the building until after it closed and let the other individuals in. There were two security guards inside. We were able to secure their release. We believe that while the group who broke into the building includes students, it is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University. The individuals who have occupied Hamilton Hall have vandalized University property and are trespassing.

In addition, we have had a continuing encampment on the West Lawn of the Morningside campus since Friday, April 19, 2024. Last night an additional encampment appeared on the Math Lawn.

After more than a week of discussions with representatives of the group engaged in the West Lawn encampment, we reached an impasse on Sunday, April 28, 2024. The group was informed that they are not permitted to occupy spaces on campus, are in violation of the University’s rules and policies and must disperse. All University students in the West Lawn encampment were informed Monday morning that they would be suspended if they did not disperse by 2:00pm Monday and that participation in other campus encampments was prohibited. At this time, all participants in the encampments are suspended, not authorized to be on University property and are trespassing.

The takeover of Hamilton Hall and the continued encampments raise serious safety concerns for the individuals involved and the entire community. The actions of these individuals are unfortunately escalating. These activities have become a magnet for protesters outside our gates which creates significant risk to our campus and disrupts the ability of the University to continue normal operations.

The events on campus last night have left us no choice. With the support of the University’s Trustees, I have determined that the building occupation, the encampments, and related disruptions pose a clear and present danger to persons, property, and the substantial functioning of the University and require the use of emergency authority to protect persons and property.

With the utmost regret, we request the NYPD’s help to clear all individuals from Hamilton Hall and all campus encampments. As part of this process, we understand that the NYPD plans to use its LRAD technology to inform participants in the encampments that they must disperse.

In light of the activities that occurred after the events of April 17-18, 2024, we further request that you retain a presence on campus through at least May 17, 2024 to maintain order and ensure encampments are not reestablished.

We trust that you will take care and caution when removing any individual from our campus. The safety and security of our community is our highest priority, especially for our students. We appreciate your commitment to assist us in a peaceful and respectful manner at this difficult time.

Columbia is committed to allowing members of our community to engage in political expression – within established rules and with respect for the safety of all. The policies we have in place around demonstrations are in place to support both the right to expression and the safety and functioning of our University.

Thank you for your assistance with this very challenging situation.

Minouche Shafik

COMMENTS

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Alternative ways to contact the President

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Chapter 33 Sections

What is a letter to an elected official?

Why write to elected officials?

When should you write letters to elected officials?

How do you write letters to public officials?

Decide on the recipient.

Open the letter in an official manner.

Explain the purpose for your letter.

Summarize your understanding of the issue/decision being considered.

Explain your position on this issue.

Describe what any changes will mean to you, and to others.

Identify others who may be affected by this decision.

Acknowledge past support.

Describe what action you hope the official will take.

If you have written a letter that opposes some action, offer an alternative.

If you have time and you are committed, ask how you can help

Close and sign your letter.

Check your letter for spelling and grammatical errors.

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Write a Letter to the President

How to Write a Letter to The President (With Sample)

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Write a Letter to the President

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