Ensuring Continuity in Constituent Service
Members of Congress leaving the institution or preparing to represent a district with new boundaries have a few key decisions to make about their stewardship of the information constituents have entrusted them with.
Information constituents provide the Member's team in the course of casework is legally considered the personal property of the Member. As such, the decision whether to transfer constituent information to incoming Members is entirely up to the outgoing Member.
For constituents with open casework, this decision is critical: not transferring casework information can lead to significant disruption, especially for those with time-sensitive cases. Further, it negates the hard work the outgoing Member's team has already put into resolving constituent issues.
Outgoing and redistricting Members are strongly encouraged to discuss their options to authorize a full or partial transfer of information in your Constituent Management System (CMS) database to incoming Members and Members-Elect.
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Request that your CMS provider automatically transfer your data using the CAO’s secure data portal.
Pros
Secure
Convenient
Can choose which types of data and which specific cases transfer
Cons
Some CMS vendors charge for this service
Incoming Members may not accept transfers
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Have your team download case files from your CMS provider and send them to new Members.
Pros
No CMS transfer fees
Cons
Labor- and time-intensive
Greater chance of mishandling constituent information
Members may also consider advising constituents with open cases that this transfer is coming, and give constituents the option to weigh in on how their data will be transferred.
“Through the end of my term, my first priority will be making sure that [INCOMING MEMBER] can hit the ground running to provide you with uninterrupted support and service as your voice in the federal government. This includes ensuring that [INCOMING MEMBER] has access to my office’s records…”
Additional information and the interactive data transfer form are available from the Chief Administrative Officer at transition.house.gov. While the final deadline for data transfer decisions is the first day of the 118th Congress, offices are strongly encouraged to return this form as early as possible, ideally by the beginning of December.
Returning Members in Redistricting
Complete the “Constituent Data and Casework Files Disposition” form at transition.house.gov.
Departing Members
Complete the “CMS Data Consent” form at transition.house.gov.
Follow Up
Your CMS vendor will be automatically notified of your choice; however, we’d recommend following up to confirm.
Alert Your Constituents (Optional)
Send out a short form letter to advise affected constituents that their representative will be changing in January.
Let Them Opt Out (Optional)
Allow constituents to contact your office to opt out of having their cases transferred.
Questions? Reach out to us if our team can be a resource as your office navigates this transition.
