Election Toolkit helps Episcopalians engage in nonpartisan activities

Posted May 18, 2016

[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] The 2016 election in the United States remains the top of the news in media outlets, and it is inevitably a topic in personal conversations. To provide education about the election as well as assisting in being prepared, The Episcopal Church has developed an online toolkit with a webpage that outlines how individual Episcopalians and congregations can participate in the electoral process through a number of nonpartisan activities.

Through the Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN), information is also available on an important initiative, the Episcopal Pledge to Vote.  The EPPN is calling on all Episcopalians to pledge that they will cast a vote in the general election. You can make your pledge to vote and find the toolkit which is designed to assist Episcopalians in being informed and engaged voters on the EPPN election webpage.

“On November 8 our nation will head to the polls to decide a number of important elections, and there are many opportunities for Episcopalians to engage in this electoral process,” noted Lacy Broemel, manager for communications and operations, in the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations

Broemel explained that the Episcopal Church policy recognizes voting and political participation as an act of Christian stewardship, calling upon congregations to engage in conversation on public policy issues, to develop voter registration and issue education campaigns, and to advocate to counteract threats to voting rights.

All election engagement resources, including the downloadable Episcopal Election Engagement Toolkit, are available on the Episcopal Public Policy Network site here.

Among the possible non-partisan activities offered are: engaging young adults who are eligible to vote for the first time; hosting a candidate forum; advocating for voting rights legislation; and hosting Get Out The Vote campaigns.

“Engaging in elections is one way we can live out our call to care for our neighbors as ourselves,” Broemel explained. “Election engagement goes beyond simply casting a ballot, but includes engaging in civil discourse and protecting voting rights.”

#EpiscopaliansVote

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Comments (2)

  1. Helene de Boissiere - Swanson says:
    May 19, 2016 at 8:39 am

    I am delighted that TEC is encouraging folks to vote in the ucpoming election and participate in politics. For many years now our organization has been promoting the Equal Rights Amendment. I am hoping that other Episcopalians will become more active in moving our great nation to pass the ERA. We only need three more states and resolutions at previous General Conventions have called for the renewed support for the passage of the ERA. I invite all to visit our website and facebook page to learn more.
    Love and Light in Christ,
    Helene de Boissiere, Founder Katrina’s Dream
    http://www.katrinasdream.org
    Katrina’s Dream is an Episcopal organization founded in the memory of the Rev. Katrina Swanson who was one of the “Philadelphia Eleven” The first group of women to be ordained in the Episcopal Church. The mission of Katrina’s Dream is to promote the full inclusion of women in the church and in society and other social justice issues.

  2. Doug Desper says:
    May 20, 2016 at 8:18 am

    The Toolkit materials give a sense that requiring a photo ID to vote is overly restrictive. I cannot disagree more. The Toolkit goes at length to suggest ways that people should prepare themselves to become both involved and informed. Most of these suggestions require time and effort, including networking with those less-involved to become more interested. The simple fact is that voter fraud has been widely practiced and obtaining a proper ID – while requiring effort – is not an obstacle to people who are truly investing themselves and educating themselves.

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