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 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).
—- Salutation or conversation:
—- —- Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Surname):
Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”
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.
—- #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.