Congressional Management Foundation | COVID-19 Compels Congress to Rely More on Remote Interactions with Constituents

by CMF Research Assistant on October 22, 2020

This is the second in a series of blog posts summarizing our “Coronavirus, Congress, and Constituent Communications” report, which will be posted weekly culminating in the release of our second Member-Constituent Engagement report, “The Future of Citizen Engagement: Pre-COVID Challenges to Constituent Communication.” Check back here weekly for new posts outlining how the global pandemic has changed congressional communications.

Unsurprisingly, when COVID-19 changed life as we knew it, most Members of Congress curtailed their public appearances in favor of remote interactions. They significantly increased their use of the telephone and Internet for both smaller group meetings and events, as well as town hall meetings. They also increased their website updates to keep constituents informed of fast-breaking developments with the virus, unemployment, small business loans and more.

In addition, online and telephone town hall meetings became very important during the pandemic for understanding constituents' views and opinions and for communicating the Member's views and activities to constituents. Virtual and telephone town halls are also easier for constituents who may not be able—or willing—to drive to a physical location to meet with a Senator or Representative.

"Under normal circumstances, [telephone town halls] are good and we've done them occasionally, but the cost-benefit analysis is much clearer in this crisis as more people are joining than we've seen in the past, justifying the cost." – Senate Administrative Director

Looking to the future, many staffers said they expect their offices to continue engaging constituents remotely, even after social distancing and quarantine restrictions have life.

MCE Graph 3

"It seems like we will do more outreach via virtual and phone than we ever used to. Press conferences and roundtable meetings that don't need to be done in person, probably won't be. And I don't think any of our staff will be required to attend large events, conferences, meetings on behalf of the Senator in person we used to do." —Senate State Director

COVID-19 has changed our country in ways unimaginable just a year ago. From big events to office busy-work, we face new challenges in how we function, but also new opportunities. Congress, too, faces a herculean task in moving traditional, in-person town halls, as well as receiving daily letters and emails from constituents, to an online environment, all while keeping pace with the increasing pressures Americans face in these trying times. In May and June of 2020, CMF surveyed senior congressional staffers to find out how Congress and their offices are adjusting to the abrupt changes, and how it has affected the relationship with their constituents. We discussed seven key findings in the report The Future of Citizen Engagement: Coronavirus, Congress, and Constituent Communications. One is that, as a result of COVID-19, Congress has scaled back in-person meetings, relying more on video, telephone, and other electronic means to engage their constituents.

William Mioduszewski is a recent graduate at William Paterson University and majored in Political Science. He interned remotely with the Congressional Management Foundation from September-December 2020.