The Key to Effective Sierra Club California Advocacy in Sacramento: Effective In-District Advocacy by Club Volunteers
Legislators care about what their constituents think. Indeed, no matter how much money they receive from special interests, legislators know that they ultimately have to win the votes of their constituents to stay in office.
That’s where the California Advocacy Committee (CAC) comes in! The CAC has a volunteer Coordinator (or two!) in many of the thirteen chapters throughout California, to help connect you build relationships with your legislator at home - in your legislative district. Through the CAC, staff in Sacramento will share regular updates, resources, and materials on the most pivotal legislative updates of the year so that you can make positive change by leveraging your power as a constituent.
To get activated with the California Advocacy Committee, please email the Volunteer CAC Chair, Karen Maki, and the Staff CAC Chair, Layne Fajeau, at karen@karenmaki.com and layne.fajeau@sierraclub.org.
California Advocacy Committee Spring 2026 Training Webinar
The California Advocacy Committee hosts seasonal training sessions to induct new members and refresh returning members on CAC priority bills and advocacy principles. Watch the recording below. The training is led by Sierra Club California Organizer Layne Fajeau and Sierra Club San Diego Chair Lisa Ross.
Getting - And Staying - In Touch with Your Legislators
Legislators like to know that their constituents are active and care. You can stay on top of your legislators’ activities by subscribing to their newsletters, attending local town halls, calling their office to voice your opinion, and arranging meetings with your legislators or their staff via the California Advocacy Committee.
Here are a few web links to help you get started on getting to know and be in touch with your legislators.
Who represents you in the California legislature? Go to this link and type in your address:
http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov
List of members of the California Assembly and links to their websites:
http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers
List of members of the California Senate and links to their websites:
You can track bills and how your legislators vote at:
Letter to the Editor (LTE) Training
Our Letter to the Editor (LTE) Training covers the basics of what an LTE is, how you can identify opportunities to write one, the value they have for environmentalists, and the best practices for getting your LTE published. If you're interested in writing an LTE, please contact your local chapter representative.