A group of more than 1,100 faith and community leaders representing communities in all 50 states today issued a joint call for federal, state and local public officials to do everything in their power to guarantee that Americans are able to cast votes free of fear and intimidation and that every vote cast in the 2020 elections will be counted.
“The values of our faith traditions inform our dedication to this cause,” the leaders wrote in a joint letter to government officials demanding clear commitments to support election integrity. “All of the constitutional freedoms that we enjoy, including our religious freedom, depend on the integrity of our elections – the foundation of American democracy.”
Faith Leaders United, which organized the letter, is a bipartisan, multifaith coalition that bridges political, theological and denominational divides. The coalition is calling on public officials to make four specific commitments, including:
- Our leaders must ensure a free and fair election in which all eligible Americans can safely cast their votes without interference, suppression or fear of intimidation.
- Leaders and election officials must count every vote in accordance with applicable laws before the election is decided, even if the process takes a longer time because of precautions in place due to COVID-19.
- Leaders should share timely, accurate information about the election results and resist and avoid spreading misinformation.
- Leaders must actively and publicly support a peaceful transition of power or continuation of leadership based on legitimate election results.
Sent this week to political and governing bodies including both major party presidential campaigns, the Republican National Committee, the Democratic National Committee, the National Governors Association, National Association of Secretaries of State and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the letter has garnered support from faith leaders across the country. A full list of signers can be found online: https://faithandelections.com/signers/.
In addition to its appeal to public and civic leaders, the faith leaders are calling on “neighbors of all beliefs and backgrounds to join us in this urgent commitment to support free and fair elections, especially at this crucial moment for our democracy.”
