Bringing the Statehouse to Your House
A Guide to Hosting a Meet-and-Greet
Note: Stacey Ingram with the League of Women Voters of Muncie-Delaware County presented on this topic at the 2024 IDEA Conference. This post is based on her presentation. Many thanks to Stacey and the League for sharing her presentation materials and allowing me to use them as the basis of this post.
As you move along your Waypoint journey, one of the most effective ways to feel like a part of the political process is to bring the process into your home. Hosting a Living Room Meet-and-Greet is a high-impact way to earn points for “Building Community” and “Influence Politics”1 while turning your home into a temporary “laboratory of democracy” for your friends and neighbors.
Step 1: Preparation and Priorities
A meet-and-greet is a simple gathering of friends and neighbors to meet a legislator, ask questions, and exchange ideas. You could hold this event during election year or in an off-year. There is no bad time to begin or continue building a relationship with elected officials. You can invite someone who represents you at the Statehouse or the city or county council member who represents your district.
Before you reach out to an official, talk to your neighbors to find out if they would be interested in attending a meet and greet. If your neighborhood has an active neighborhood association, then finding a group that is interested may be pretty easy. You will want to decide what issues you would like to prioritize in the meet and greet. These priorities would likely include local issues that shape your daily life, such as:
Traffic safety in the neighborhood.
Zoning and land use issues.
Road maintenance and neighborhood drainage.
Neighborhood parks or other facilities.
Abandoned and blighted property.
Be sure there is a good match between the topics you wish to discuss and the public official you invite.
Step 2: The Legislator Invitation
Contact the legislator or their office to extend a formal invitation. To increase your chances of success, your request should clearly state:
Why you believe it is important for them to attend.
Who you plan to invite and an estimated guest count.
The specific issues you would like to discuss.
Several alternative dates to ensure flexibility.
If you don’t receive a reply within a few days, be sure to follow up.
Step 3: Building Your Guest List
While any number that works for you is the right number, a group of 15–30 guests is typically ideal. When crafting your list:
Include “Opinion Leaders”: These are neighbors active in community affairs who can help influence others.
Seek Diverse Views: Invite people with varying political views; legislators need to work with all constituents, and it is healthy to see them do so.
Manage RSVPs: Invite more people than you expect to show up to account for no-shows, and provide an RSVP number or email.
Step 4: Logistics and Atmosphere
Keep the event informal to help things run smoothly. Private homes or community rooms in apartment complexes work well. To respect everyone’s time, keep the entire event to 90 minutes or less.
Seating: Ensure there are enough seats—folding chairs are fine—so everyone can see and hear the speaker.
Refreshments: Food and drink (like coffee and cake) tend to make the event more enjoyable and encourage conversation.
Step 5: Running the Event
As the host, your role is to stay near the legislator and ensure they move through the room to speak with everyone. Have name tags and pens ready at the door. Following a simple agenda keeps the night on track:
6:30–7:00: Meeting and greeting.
7:00–7:15: Host introduction and legislator remarks.
7:15–7:45: Q&A (It’s good to have a few questions prepared in advance to get the ball rolling).
7:45–8:00: Wrap-up.
Step 6: Follow-Up and Momentum
The work doesn’t end when the guests leave. Thank-you notes are always appreciated and help build a lasting rapport with the official. Debrief with your guests to see if someone else is willing to host a future session for a different legislator to keep the momentum going. Finally, follow through on discussed actions, whether that means writing letters to the editor or attending upcoming government meetings.
Claim Your Waypoint Points
Don’t forget to log your successful meet-and-greet on the Muncie Waypoint reporting form! Actions like these shift our community away from passive news consumption and toward a culture where we engage in meaningful political activity to create our own future. By opening your living room, you are building the local agency needed to advance to the Summit!
There is a specific action under “Building Community” on the reporting form for hosting a meet and greet. You will also receive points under “Influence Politics” for contacting a local official about an issue.