WASHINGTON, D.C.--American churches and faith organizations are campaigning for an increased voter turnout this year. The elusive religious community vote has long been sought by political campaigns. Now an interfaith coalition organized by the National Council of Churches has begun a voter registration and education drive called "Faithful Democracy."
The goal of the drive according to a NCC press release is to encourage people of faith to proactively engage in the democratic process through voter registration and education efforts.
The coalition reportedly formed because civic participation in the United States is dangerously low, and many of the reasons people aren't involved have profoundly religious implications. Apathy and cynicism are bad for democracy and bad for the soul, the group stated.
By grounding civic participation in religious values, the Faithful Democracy coalition will promote greater voter participation and community partnerships in congregations nationwide.
The overall stated goals for the effort are: to increase the number of people casting informed votes that are counted in the 2004 elections; to increase the number of people with a commitment to responsible civic participation that is grounded in their religious values; and, to create or strengthen lasting partnerships between different religious groups, and between the faith community and secular organizations at the local level.
Faithful Democracy has set up a Web site, FaithfulDemocracy.org, to facilitate voter registration and education.
The twelve participating churches and faith partners are: American Friends Service Committee, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the Interfaith Alliance, the National Council of Churches, Presbyterian Church USA, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church.
