‘Standing For Human Dignity’: Faith Leaders Urge Officials To Protect Midterm Elections
Clergy members representing more than 1,500 faith communities gathered across the United States on Tuesday for a coordinated national day of action urging election officials to publicly commit to protecting the integrity of this fall’s midterm elections.
The campaign — organized by the faith-based initiative Faith in Us — featured 15 events in nine states, including Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin.
Organizers said the events were held immediately following the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding and exactly four months before Election Day.
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At the center of the effort was the group's "Pledge to Protect Our Freedom to Vote," which calls on local, state and federal officials — particularly those responsible for administering elections and certifying results — to commit to following the U.S. Constitution and state election laws, rejecting what they called President Donald Trump’s unlawful executive orders or Justice Department requests to restrict voting rights.
The flagship event took place at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, where clergy from multiple faith traditions emphasized voting as both a civic responsibility and a moral obligation.
“Across our country, we are seeing a growing effort to replace trust with suspicion and participation with fear,” said Minister JaNaé Bates, co-director of ISAIAH Minnesota. “When false accusations become a political strategy, they do not just harm individuals; they threaten the integrity of the whole community.”
Bates said various issues — ranging from healthcare and the economy — underscore the importance of protecting democratic institutions.
“At a time where everything from our food to our healthcare, from if we're at war or peace — even our groceries, childcare and utility bills are at stake, it is a necessity for every one of us to take on the mantle to defend both truth and democracy,” Bates added.
Faith leaders participating in the campaign represented Christian, Jewish, Muslim and interfaith organizations, highlighting what organizers described as a broad, nonpartisan coalition focused on safeguarding access to the ballot.
Rabbi Rachel Simmons of Temple Beth-El in Portland, Maine, said the coalition’s message was rooted in shared religious values.
“We believe that we are all children of God, and that we are strongest when all voices can be heard,” Simmons said. “We stand for human dignity across demographic boundaries, and we believe that this dignity transcends partisan politics.”
Imam Steve Mustapha Elturk, president of the Islamic Organization of North America, framed voting rights as both a matter of justice and democratic accountability.
“Every eligible citizen deserves the opportunity to participate freely and peacefully in our democracy, and every lawful vote deserves to be counted with integrity,” he said. “Protecting access to the ballot and safeguarding the integrity of our elections are complementary responsibilities.”
The national events follow a letter signed by more than 1,700 clergy members expressing concern that voting rights face increasing challenges ahead of the 2026 elections. Organizers said the letter cites concerns about racially discriminatory redistricting, voter suppression efforts, and declining public confidence in elections.
The statement also references changes in federal voting rights protections following Supreme Court decisions that altered the application of the Voting Rights Act. Pastor Lesley Jones of Truth and Destiny Church in Cincinnati defended the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a nonprofit that has conducted voter registration efforts for years.
“The Ohio Organizing Collaborative has empowered Ohioans through voter registration for decades because voting is a sacred expression of free will, dignity, and community voice,” Jones said.
Others focused on barriers that some voters may encounter this year. The Trump administration has tried to nationalize elections. In March 2025, the president signed an executive order seeking broad authority over elections. The order required proof of citizenship to register to vote and mandated the return of mail ballots by Election Day.
The move was blocked by the courts, which found that the order had violated the separation of powers and exceeded the president’s authority.
Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, said immigrants who have become U.S. citizens, people without reliable transportation and voters who may feel intimidated by a law enforcement presence at polling places all deserve equal access to the ballot.
“Loving our neighbors means protecting the rights of our neighbors to vote,” Monnot said. “That is why I am here today.”
Bishop Jen Nagel of the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America said civic participation is an expression of religious faith.
“As Lutheran Christians, we believe that civic engagement — including voting — is a part of our baptismal vocation,” Nagel said, adding that faith communities should continually ask whether public institutions are serving their neighbors.
In Milwaukee, Ahmed Quereshi, executive director of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, said universal suffrage reflects the teachings shared across many faith traditions.
“The principle of universal and equal suffrage and free elections is consonant with the teachings of our various and diverse communities of faith,” Quereshi said.
In San Antonio, Rev. Carlos B. Velazquez cited Catholic teaching on political participation, referencing guidance from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that supports protecting voting rights and removing barriers created by past discrimination.
“In ‘Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Bishops’ document on the political responsibility of Catholics, they affirm that ‘where the effects of past discrimination persist, society has the obligation to take positive steps to overcome the legacy of injustice, including vigorous action to remove barriers to education, protect voting rights, support good policing in our communities and ensure equal employment for women and minorities,’” he said.
Clemente Lisi serves as executive editor at Religion Unplugged.