November 4, 2026

As we awaken the day after the 2026 midterm elections, we give thanks.

We will pray for those elected to public office, regardless of party or position, and call them to govern with humility, integrity, compassion, and accountability. We will celebrate where justice advances, lament where our neighbors are harmed, and continue to speak when the dignity and rights of God's children are threatened.

We give thanks to the millions of people who made their voices heard at the ballot box; for the poll workers, election administrators, volunteers, election observers, poll chaplains, and countless others who helped make these elections possible. Above all, we give thanks to the dedicated state and local officials who administer our elections and uphold the essential democratic practice of free and fair elections.

We recognize that this morning brings a range of emotions. Some are celebrating, while others are grieving, disappointed, or fearful about what lies ahead. As people of faith, we hold these experiences in tension, making room for both celebration and lament. We are reminded that God alone is Lord of the conscience. God is our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. No election, political party, elected official, or government holds that place. Our ultimate hope rests not in election outcomes, but in God who calls us to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly.

This conviction does not lead us away from civic life; it calls us more deeply into it. In our Reformed tradition, voting is both a sacred and civic responsibility. We do not vote for the sake of any one party or candidate, but in response to our calling to seek the common good and honor the image of God in our neighbors.

We vote for a world where creation is cared for and sustained for all generations; human needs are met and human rights are protected: where nourishing food, safe and affordable housing, and winter heat are within reach; where immigrant neighbors are treated with dignity and respect; where women and LGBTQIA+ people have access to the health care they need; a world without war; and where we acknowledge and work to repair historical racial harms. These commitments do not begin or end on Election Day. They are part of our ongoing call to love our neighbors and pursue the flourishing of all God's people.

Even as we give thanks for democratic participation, we cannot ignore the growing threats to that participation. In the lead-up to these midterms, concerns about partisan gerrymandering, voter intimidation and infringement, voter-roll purges, and burdensome voting requirements have continued to grow. Actions by the Department of Justice and other federal actors have also raised serious questions about federal interference in state and local election administration and the potential disenfranchisement of eligible voters.

Voting is a fundamental right of eligible citizens. It should not be undermined by unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles, costly documentation requirements, poll taxes or fees, or intimidation. No eligible voter should face undue burdens simply to exercise their right to participate in our democracy. Nor should election workers face threats or interference for faithfully carrying out their responsibilities.

Our social witness policy, Lift Every Voice: Democracy, Voting Rights and Electoral Reform, calls on the church to protect voting rights, oppose voter suppression and gerrymandering, and defend the integrity of our electoral process. We affirm the importance of locally administered elections and the independence of those entrusted with carrying them out.

The 227th General Assembly passed a resolution underscoring the vital importance to checks and balances within the US Government which affirms that no branch of government is above accountability. As the new Congress takes shape, we affirm the essential responsibility of the legislative branch to exercise its constitutional role and provide meaningful oversight of the executive branch. These safeguards are not partisan tools; they are essential to a government accountable to the people.

The morning after an election is not the end of our democratic responsibility. It is a continuation to hold elected leaders accountable to the people they represent and the US Constitution. 

Our hope is in God. Our calling is to one another. And our work for justice continues.