Action Toolkit

Taking action is easy! Here are ways you can make an impact.

Join I-ACT – AAUW Naperville Area’s Issues Action Team

AAUW Naperville Area (IL) logo with "I-ACT!" taglineOur Issues Action Team (I-ACT) leads AAUW Naperville Area’s efforts to advance policies that break through educational, societal and economic barriers for women and girls. I-ACT monitors, educates and provides advocacy actions for effective local, state and national policies. All AAUW members are welcome to join I-ACT. Contact Elizabeth Carroll to indicate your interest.

Be a Two-Minute Activist

Sign up to become a Two-Minute Activist! You’ll get timely AAUW alerts to contact your elected officials on important issues, including equal pay, education, and ending violence against women. When you’re a Two-Minute Activist it only takes minutes to make your voice heard! You don’t need to be an AAUW member to take advantage of this useful tool.

Watch our video to see how easy it is to sign up!

Submit a Witness Slip to the Illinois Legislature

Witness slips are vital to the legislative process. Before a bill is heard in committee, the chairperson will read who has submitted witness slips and whether the witnesses support or oppose the bill. This helps inform legislators about where Illinoisans and organizations stand, allowing our elected officials to make informed decisions when voting. Witness slips are a relatively easy and quick way to make your voice heard in state government. 

Watch this video to learn how to fill out a Witness Slip in the Illinois General Assembly. 

Information about upcoming bills for the Illinois General Assembly can be found here: https://my.ilga.gov/

When completing a Witness Slip be sure to select either FOR (Proponent) or AGAINST (Opponent) as your position on the bill. Under Testimony, select “Record of Appearance Only” unless you are planning to fax a written statement to the Clerk of the House or to the chair of a Senate committee.

If you want to keep track of your Witness Slips, create an account:

  1. Go to: http://my.ilga.gov/Account/Register
  2. Complete the account information registration
  3. Verify your email address
  4. Click log in
  5. Complete basic profile information
  6. Under Firm/Agency you can put None
  7. Under Representation you can put None
  8. Under Title you can put Taxpayer or Private Citizen

Write a Letter to the Editor

Letters to the editor (LTEs) usually are written in direct response to an article, editorial, op-ed, or column that the newspaper has published. They also can be a reaction to or notification of a newsworthy event. They are published on the editorial page, one of the most-read pages in the paper, making them an effective way to reach a large audience in the community. Two important aspects of LTEs to keep in mind when composing your piece: Always close with a call to action and never assume your reader is educated on the topic. 

Guidelines for Submitting Letters to Naperville Area Editors

Daily Herald

  • To submit a letter to the editor, email fencepost@dailyherald.com
  • Please limit your letter to a maximum of 300 words.
  • Your submission must include your full name, email address, town, and a valid phone number where you can be reached.
  • We also invite you to attach a digital photograph of yourself, at least 300 dpi, for publication.
  • All submissions are considered for publication in print and online.
  • No letter will be published anonymously.
  • All letters are subject to editing.
  • We do not guarantee that every letter will be published.

Naperville Sun

  • All letters to the editor are welcome and will be considered for publication or posting online. Our editors read every email, but because of the volume of correspondence we receive, we cannot respond to everyone.
  • Letters can be sent to suburbanletters@tribpub.com or to Karen Sorenson (Editor, Naperville Sun) directly at ksorensen@tribpub.com. Please do not attach your letter as a Word document or a PDF. Type your letter directly into the email.
  • Please note the following:
    • Letters must be no longer than 400 words.
    • Letters must be signed with your full name — no letters will be published anonymously. Your submission also must contain your contact information including city and state, as well as your phone number for verification purposes. If your letter is chosen, your city/town will be printed with your name. All other contact information, including street address and phone number, will remain private.
    • No more than four signatures will be printed with a letter.
  • We are looking for:
    • Timely responses to current events and our news and opinion content.
    • Thoughtful criticisms of elected officials.
    • Both serious and whimsical observations of our local communities, our state, our nation and human nature in general.
    • Personal stories that will resonate with other readers.
    • Pieces that sincerely advocate for legislation or a cause.
  • We are not looking for:
    • Open letters to elected officials and other people.
    • Self-serving advocacy pieces.
    • Ax-grinding rants.
  • We prefer to edit or trim letters as little as possible, but we reserve the right to do so as necessary.

Contact Public Officials

U.S. Senators

U.S. Representatives 

If yours is not listed, click here to find your representative.

Illinois State Senators

Illinois State Representatives

County Officials

City Officials