We are now in the homestretch of this year’s national election campaign. A time when most Americans tune in and pay attention. This must also be a time when the Black Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, kicks into high gear to ensure that Blacks all across this country vote in numbers exceeding the turnout in the 2020 national election. This will not be an easy task, so we must begin.
The Social Action Commission of the AME Church is calling on the Connectional Church, at every level, to organize and be engaged in this campaign to turn out the Black vote. This is an emergency, this is urgent, this is a time of crisis. We must do more than talk and write; we must work. Democracy is at risk, and individual rights and freedoms are on the line. If Blacks don’t turn out in large numbers, this could be our last national election. Once again, Blacks have in our hands the power to save America. Better yet, to save America from itself.
But we must be organized and effective, and we don’t have much time, in fact, 63 days. So what is the strategy? What is the Social Action Commission asking us to do?
1. Each Bishop is asked to appoint an Episcopal District Chair of Social Action. If there is not one already, the appointment needs to be made this week. Please email to the Director of Social Action, Jackie DuPont Walker at:
jdupontw@aol.com.
2. A social action chair also needs to be appointed for each Annual Conference immediately.
3. The Bishop needs to ask each pastor to appoint a Social Action Chair in each local church and send the name, phone, and email to the Annual Conference Chairperson.
4. The local church chairperson and Social Action Committee should compile a list of all registered voters in the local congregation. Have the church prepare and pass out to the congregation the dates of the election, early voting, how to vote absentee ballot, and dates for Souls to the Polls. Encourage every registered voter to make a plan to vote. Because of efforts to suppress the Black vote, remind every voter to verify their voter registration by going to
www.vote.org.
5. Ask each congregant to make sure family, friends, and co-workers are registered and have a plan to vote. Encourage congregants not to vote by themselves but to take people with them.
6. Encourage congregants to vote early where possible.
7. The pastor is the most important person in this strategy. It is his/her responsibility to organize the Social Action Committee in the local church. The pastor should remind the congregation of the election weekly from the pulpit, urge the unregistered to register, encourage early voting, organize “Souls to the Polls,” and make sure the local committee is doing its job.
The Presidency, control of Congress, and critical governorships will be determined in the following battleground states:
Pennsylvania
Michigan
Wisconsin
Georgia
Arizona
Nevada
North Carolina
Montana
Ohio
Texas
In each of these states the Black turnout will determine who wins the state and ultimately the presidency and control of Congress.
The Social Action Committee asks each of us, Bishops, Episcopal District and Annual Conference Social Action Chairpersons, and local Social Action Committees, as well as each congregant and registered voter, to do our part to ensure a large Black voter turnout.
Voter Education is critical. The Social Action Committee will provide information on essential issues in this election each week. Our goal is to get people to vote in their best interest. Unfortunately, misinformation is a significant part of this campaign. Our commitment is to provide the truth.
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