A lot of elected officials are moving to electronic newsletters because of costs and time related to printing and mailing paper pieces. I started one last year. Previously, I have mailed every-few-weeks letters to a list of about two thousand constituents whose addresses I've collected over time. At three-to-a-dollar for postage, that's an expense that isn't very sustainable. I think all of these have been paid out of my own campaign funds, not public funds, for two reasons: (1) my senate office budget doesn't include enough money to mail that much (5000 stamps/year) and (2) when you want to toot your own horn, it's best to do it with your own funds, instead of public funds.
Most years I've put out end-of-session legislative updates. I pick out about 8000 to 10,000 good voters and mail to them at campaign-fund expense. I've also published these in the North News, the newspaper that goes to almost every door in my district. Some years I've also mailed pre-session questionnaires or put them in the newspaper. Still hope to do that before the session gets too far along, and will probably try to do an email form of these. Campaign finance laws govern when end-of-session legislative updates can be sent at public expense and when they become campaign materials, based on how long since legislative adjournment they are produced. That way, an incumbent can't put out a "legislative update" piece right before an election and use public funds when it is clearly timed to be a campaign piece. linda higgins senator north mpls REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
