“The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Rom. 8:16
On Tuesday, millions of Americans will head to the polls to exercise their right to vote. For the majority of Americans, suffrage was hard won and is duly treasured. The importance of this civic duty—“the fundamental and initial act of civic engagement” (225th General Assembly)—is at odds with the confidence that Americans feel that this year’s midterm elections will be free and fair. The Pew Research Center recently found that only 55% of Americans “are confident that this November’s midterm elections will be” fair and accurate.
These worries are not meritless. In recent months, senior Administration officials have put federal pressure on election administration—dismantling federal election security infrastructure, mobilizing the Justice Department to interfere in States’ voter records and processes, and threatening to send federal agents to polling places. All this comes against the backdrop of the ever-increasing influence of money in elections, longstanding practices of partisan gerrymandering, attempts at voter suppression and intimidation, increasing intimidation and harassment of election officials and poll officers, and the like.
Few things are as central to Presbyterian life as free and fair elections. We call Elders, fund ministries, locally and regionally organize congregations, and adopt denominational policies by voting. We do this because we find in voting a practice that honors the image of God, the inherent dignity, and the internal working of the Spirit in each child of God. At this nation’s founding, Presbyterians worked to enshrine these practices in our local and national civic life, and the Presbyterian Church (USA) continues to advocate for their integrity today.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) has long advocated for just, easily accessible, and truly representative election processes. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has unequivocally held that voting “is a basic and inalienable right; attempts to suppress that right must be rejected.” Indeed, “Nothing should prevent a person’s exercise of the voting franchise.” It also prophetically reminds us that election interference “disproportionately—indeed, intentionally and almost exclusively—” affects “citizens who have historically suffered discrimination.” (225th General Assembly).
As you head to the polls this November, remember that we already have strong laws protecting the integrity of the vote. But Congress also has a crucial role to play in protecting the integrity of our elections against Executive interference and overreach. We urge you to call on your Members of Congress to make strong public statements in defense of free and fair elections. And we urge you to call on them to work over the long term to reduce gerrymandering and the influence of money in politics and to strengthen safeguards for election workers and voters alike.