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Many folks are worried about the integrity of this year’s midterms. But faith groups have been busy making plans. On a typical election year, you know the drill: Churches and Christian groups issue nonpartisan (or so we hope) messages, encouraging the faithful to “get out the vote.” Some publish voter guides offering their theological input on key voter issues like immigration or abortion; in a few traditions, it’s common to organize events to help get voters to the polls. But this year, we’re seeing faith groups respond in new ways: They’re recruiting nonpartisan poll workers, poll watchers, and poll chaplains (those are all different, by the way). They’re hosting “know your rights” seminars and training clergy in de-escalation tactics. They’re meeting with their local officials and countering election misinformation. And yep, they’re still organizing “get out the vote” campaigns—albeit with renewed fervor. While these faith groups hope their worst-case-scenario prep is never needed, it’s clear why they’re worried: From ballot seizures to attempts to restrict voting by mail and a refusal to rule out the use of emergency powers, President Donald Trump and his administration are attempting to use the muscle of the federal government in unprecedented ways to compromise the integrity of the election. Instead, faith groups are hoping their efforts can ensure the election is free and fair. “With all the rhetoric coming from Washington, D.C., and from some of our own elected officials in the state, we had to be clearly more involved and more direct about the work,” one faith leader in Iowa told Sojourners. Here’s what else is giving us hope this week: And if you need a break from politics, here are a few culture picks that interested us lately:
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