One way to show support for clean water funding and the clean water investments Governor Carney proposed in his FY2019 budget is to let the public know how you feel! We encourage our Water Warriors to submit letters to the editor to local newspapers. These letters will help educate fellow residents and bring attention to the importance of clean water.
If you have any questions about the below basics on writing a letter to the editor, contact us, and we can help!
Here’s a few basic rules for crafting a letter to the editor:
- Most newspapers have maximum word counts for letter submissions. Keep your letter around 200-250 words.
- Be concise and focused; and be sure to stay on message.
- Double check spelling and grammar.
- Keep your message timely. If a local newspaper recently published a story about flooding in your town, that would be a great time to submit a letter to the editor as a response to the story and discuss why clean water funding is important to flood reduction.
- Always include a name, phone number and email address at the end of your letter. Don’t worry, it won’t get published! Newspapers will likely follow up with an email or phone call to verify identity and confirm submission of the letter.
And some basic talking points:
- Share your personal story. Do you support funding for clean water because your house floods? Or you love to fish? Talk about what connects you with water!
- Clearly state support for the $6 million for clean water; $10 million for open space; and $10 million for farmland preservation that Governor Carney proposed in his FY2019 budget – and state your hope that the legislature includes these appropriations in their final Bond Bill.
- Refer to (and feel free to include any of) our talking points on the FY2019 budget proposal for more detail on the Bond Bill process and why the proposed clean water funding is so important to Delaware.
How to Submit a Letter to the Editor
These days, most letters are submitted electronically via email. The letter should be submitted within the body of the email (as opposed to an attachment) unless otherwise noted by the news outlet. If your letter is not published within a few weeks of submission, it’s ok to call the new outlet’s newsroom and inquire about the submission to ensure receipt of the letter.
Where to Submit the Letter to the Editor
When sending a letter, please use the corresponding email address listed for each publication you’d like to submit your letter to.
New Castle County
Delaware Online/ The News Journal: letters@delawareonline.com
Newark Post: letters@newarkpostonline.com
Kent County
Delaware State News: newsroom@newszap.com
Milford Chronicle and Harrington Journal: mc@newszap.com
Sussex County
The Cape Gazette: newsroom@capegazette.com
The Coastal Point: darin.mccann@coastalpoint.com
Delmarva Now/ The Daily Times/Delaware Coast Press/ The Delaware Wave: opinions@delmarvanow.com
Milford Chronicle: mc@newszap.com
Sussex County Post: Complete this form – https://sussexcountypost.com/letter-to-the-editor/