From Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Urban and Rural Transit Association's Legislative Representative, Gary Goyke, shares this list of Don'ts when working with elected officials:

DON'T
• Address legislators with first names unless you have have truly become close enough to do so.
• Express your partisan views with legislators present.
• Threaten a legislator with political reprisals. It won't work.
• Infer or demand that political contributions will buy a vote. It's illegal, stupid and will backfire.
• Call names, make accusations or denigrate legislators.
• Pile on lengthy data that needs interpretation.
• Fake an answer. Instead, offer to recontact legislators with more information. Credibility is everything. You must be the expert for legislators.
• Count on your lobbyist or organization to get the job done for you. Legislators like constituents.
• Embarrass legislators in a public forum. It is in bad taste and will make you an enemy.
• Burn your bridges — you will need legislators' support on other issues.
• Support or oppose a candidate without know all the candidates.
• Insist a legislator support or oppose a proposal. Request is the word.
• Misstate the group's position on an issue. Credibility is absolutely necessary for political influence.
• Mix other concerns with the group's interests. Save them for another time.
• Contact a legislator at odd hours or inappropriate locations.
• Alienate legislator's staff or friends. They have influence.
• Cry wolf -- exaggeration destroys your credibility.
• Not keep in contact with a legislator -- it will help when you have an issue.
• Forget to say THANK YOU in a letter after a meetings. This will be long remembered but doing it is most often forgotten.

Incidentally, Gary Goyke is a former Wisconsin State Senator.