If you want to tell your elected official to protect public land, you can share your voice in a number of ways: write a letter, tweet at your lawmakers, or call their offices. You may have heard that one of the best ways to share your voice and influence your elected official is by meeting them in person.

There are a few ways to get in front of your elected officials, including just going to their offices, but one of the easiest places to meet your lawmaker face-to-face is by going to a public meeting or town hall. But if you’ve never attended one of these meetings before, it can seem overwhelming.

Here are our top 4 tips for attending town halls, plus our full Town Hall 101 guide (download it right here).

Find your elected official’s next public meeting. Often, these will be listed on his/her website. For members of Congress, you can use Townhall Project to find your member’s next meeting. Sometimes these meetings will ask for an RSVP, but they are rarely required.
Get there early. Lately, town halls and public meetings fill up fast. It’s important to get there early. Sit as close to the front as you can. If there’s a shirt color or sign that demonstrates your support/opposition for a public lands issue, wear it! It’s a great way for your elected official to see a visual demonstration of support for public lands.
Prepare a few questions you might want to ask. Try to get your elected official on the record saying something positive about public land by asking a direct question about supporting public lands and public land management. One example is: “Will you commit to protecting our public lands by opposing future efforts to transfer land to the states?”
Share pictures, video, and your own thoughts about public events to social media, tagging your elected official and any local media that you think might be interested.

Read the whole Town Hall 101 guide by clicking at right!