You may be surprised to learn that many U.S. politicians still use fax machines. Faxing is another way to communicate with elected officials in addition to trying to reach them by phone or email.
In this article, we’ll show you where you can find fax numbers for congress, senators, state and local leaders, and we’ll give tips for faxing politicians.
Where Can I Find Fax Numbers for Government Offices?
Not all government officials use faxes. In fact, our analysis of 1,181 congressional offices (D.C. and states) showed us that just over half (57%) of U.S. Senate and House offices use fax machines.1
Congressional Fax Numbers
The U.S. House of Representatives is made up of representatives from each state based on the congressional districts. A state can have only a few representatives while larger states with higher populations can have 52 (such as California). For this reason, you’ll want to find the contact fax number of your representative through the Find Your Representative site.
By entering your ZIP Code, you’ll be able to see the congressional district you’re currently in, as well as the representative who represents that district.
That representative will have their name, party affiliation, and a link to their government web page. Click their page and look for a fax number either on their contact page or in the footer.
Fax Numbers for Senators
To fax a senator, head to the Senate.gov contact site. Choose the state if you don’t know the name of the senator you want to contact.
You’ll have a few options for contacting senators, listed below on this website. For faxing senators, find the senator you want to contact and then find their Contact page.
The layout of this site will depend on the senator, but they usually have fax numbers next to their office locations.
In this example, this senator has several office locations that include fax numbers.
State and Local Government Representatives
Representatives for your local government will be far more specific to your area, so there’s no easy way to explain how to find a specific representative. However, you can use USA.gov to find local government contact information by narrowing in by state and county.
Once you’ve obtained the information for your local government, you can search for their name + contact information on a web search like Google. You can then find a local government representative’s fax number on their Contact page, similar to how it’s listed for U.S. senators.
Candidates running for office
Candidates not elected but currently running for office will usually also have a website with contact information. These are a bit more difficult to find if you don’t already know your candidates’ names. You can use a site like Ballotpedia to find candidates running for various elections by year. In this example, we can see the 2026 candidates for various elections:
From here, we can begin our search based on states, counties, and districts. Just like with senators, we can find the names of candidates and search for their contact information on a site like Google.
This is also a useful way of learning more about candidates for your local elections to understand more about them.
FAQs About Faxing the Government
Can I fax my ballot?
If you’re living overseas or serving in the military, some states allow you to receive and return your absentee ballot by fax, depending on where you’re registered. Some states allow ballot return by fax, some only allow it by mail, and others have secure online portals. Always check your state’s rules first. See Vote.org for a list of ballot rules by states.
If you’re living in the U.S., faxing a completed ballot is almost never allowed. Most states require ballots to be returned by mail, in-person drop-off, or delivered through official ballot drop boxes.
Before voting absentee or early, check with your local election office or visit Vote.org
for your state’s process. You might be allowed — or required — to fax in certain forms like a ballot request, but that’s different from faxing your actual vote.
If your state does allow ballot return by fax, you’ll usually need to include a fax cover sheet. This helps confirm your identity and protect your privacy. If you don’t have one, Fax.Live
offers free, generic cover sheets you can download and use. We also offer a built-in fax cover sheet that you can fill in when you fax online.
Should I fax or mail representatives?
Before the fax machine and digital communication, mailing was the best option for contacting a local or state representative. For most candidates, you can still do this. It’s one reliable way to get hold of your representative.
However, mail is sometimes called “snail mail” for a reason: It can be slow. Not only does the mail have to reach the representative, but it also must be sorted through by their office, which can take time. If they reply to you, they’ll likely do it via mail, so it’ll also take time to get back to you.
If you have a time-sensitive issue that you want a reply for, you’re better off faxing, emailing, or using the official’s online contact form.
What should I put in my fax?
If you want to be heard, and not ignored, most sites recommend being brief, clear, and sincere in your message. You’ll need to structure your fax professionally with your contact information, a respectful “Dear…” to start and a “Sincerely,” at the closing show respect.
The message itself should be respectful but also honest, avoiding excessive anger, threats, and intimidation. Instead, stay respectful and use good grammar, as that will improve your chances of being taken seriously.
Additionally, don’t fax the politician frequently if you aren’t getting replies. You’ll quickly be sorted into spam and be ignored. It takes time to get a reply, so don’t expect it right away.
Keep track of your sent and received faxes with your Fax.Live dashboard. Send your first fax today!
1Based on data for the 119th congress, downloaded from Github.com.