How to Address a State Senator

How to Address a State Senator
How to Address a Member of State Senate

State senators are addressed as the Honorable (Full Name) in writing and as Senator (Surname) or State Senator (Surname) in conversation or a salutation.  Note that state senators are addressed as State Senator (Name) in Washington, DC, especially in the presence of United States Senators.

—-Envelope, official:
—-—-The Honorable (Full Name)
—-—-(Name of state legislature)
—-—-(Complete Address)

—-Envelope, official:
—-—-The Honorable (Full Name)
—-—-(Name of State) State Senator for (District)
—-—-(Name of state legislature)

—-—-(Address)

—-Salutation:
—-—-Dear Senator (Surname):
—-—-Dear State Senator (Surname):

—-Conversation:
—-—-Senator (Surname)
—-—-State Senator (Surname)

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

How to Address a Former State Senator?

How do you address in writing a former state senator?
—-—-—-—-– Roy O.

Dear Roy O.,
The US tradition is we address people as pertinent to the situation. So how you address a former state senator will depend on the nature of your communication.

#1) Senators were never one-officeholder-at-a-time officials. Retired/former senators continue to be addressed as the Honorable (Full Name) in writing and orally or in a salutation as Senator (Surname)  in social settings: If your communication is personal or relating to their public service address as:

—-Envelope:
—-—-The Honorable (Full Name)
—-—-(Address)

—-Salutation:
—-—-Senator (Surname):
—-—-or
——–
State Senator (Surname):

#2) If you are writing to former state legislator, now working in some commercial/professional role – e.g., they are now your insurance or real estate agent, practicing attorney or stock broker – and you are writing to them in the context of a commercial/professional endeavor, don’t use the Honorable or Senator (Name).

—-Envelope:
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Full Name)
—-—-(Address)

—-Salutation or conversation:
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Surname):

– Robert Hickey

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See Also These Related Posts:
—-Assemblyman or Assemblywoman, State
—-Commissioner, State
—-Delegate, State
—-Freeholder
—-President of a State Assembly
—-Representative, State
—-Senator, State

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.)  The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions, etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—-#1)  At right on desktops, at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—-#2)  If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.)  Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—-#3)  If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question  – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey 

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”