One-year volunteers sought to help with 2022 voter engagement

U.S.-based Episcopalians interested in helping with voter engagement for the 2022 midterm elections are invited to participate in a new program launching Sept. 28, on National Voter Registration Day.

Volunteers in the new Episcopal Election Activators program will work with the Office of Government Relations of The Episcopal Church over the next year to promote and facilitate local, non-partisan voter engagement efforts. Activators will meet regularly to develop and implement strategies, share stories, and build a network across the country to help increase voter turnout and encourage others to take on a greater role in the elections.

“We’re launching this program on National Voter Registration Day, which is one of the days we hope Episcopal Election Activators can promote in their work next year,” said Alan Yarborough, church relations officer for the Office of Government Relations. “Given particular state and local requirements for voting, this group of volunteers keeping up to date on local procedures and serving as a resource to their local community can really help us be more effective as a church in inspiring and facilitating voting.”

The program is modeled after the Episcopal Public Policy Network Ambassador program, which seeks to build across the church a network of brand ambassadors to help promote resources and calls to action on advocacy issues. That program does not deal explicitly with voter engagement.

Episcopal Activator volunteers are asked for a one-year commitment (through the 2022 midterm elections). They will be expected to adhere strictly to non-partisan engagement while connecting with local parishes, sharing resources within their networks, directing and mobilizing Episcopalians to support elections through voter registration and education, providing rides to the polls on election day, and performing other tasks as needed.

The program has a rolling application and will involve monthly calls beginning October 2021 through November 2022.

“The Episcopal Church has long spoken about the importance of voting rights and ensuring all eligible Americans are able to vote,” said Rebecca Linder Blachly, director of the Office of Government Relations. “This is one more way – in additional to federal and state advocacy – that we can support nationwide efforts on voting rights and voting access. For Episcopalians who want to do more than advocacy and who want to help us operationalize our call, please sign up to become an Episcopal Election Activator!”

To learn more and apply, go here.

To register to vote, go here.