}

Dear Mr. President –  

Thank you for efforts by your administration to protect the voting rights of People of Color and other vulnerable Americans in pushing for the passage of national voting rights legislation ---the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, despite the failure of the U.S. Senate to pass either measure. 

We are writing as diverse faith leaders strongly urging you to more boldly use your enormous power to raise the urgency of protecting the American democracy and the vote.  Action by you is especially important, given the escalating threats of organized, nationwide partisan voter challengers targeting voters of color and other vulnerable citizens. We are not just leaders of non-partisan, multi-faith, race, and generation organizations.  For us, voting is rooted in the belief that everyone is created in the image of God and deserves to vote in free, fair, and safe elections. 

The late Congressman John Lewis said it best, “A Vote is the Most Powerful Non-Violent Tool We Have - Almost Sacred.”  Mr. President, our vote in our democracy is imperiled, and everything is at stake!  On January 6, 2021, the attempted coup by White nationalists and militia at the U.S. Capitol threatened the certification of a legitimate election to keep the former president in power. That has changed the face of freedom in this nation. It has put the lives of those in America, particularly people of color, even more at risk as we heard shouts on January 6th, “let’s take back our country!”  And now, we believe history will repeat itself with an “Insurrection Part II” at polling places across the country during the general election.  Freedom to vote and the protection of Black, Asian Pacific, Latino, and other citizens of color against white terrorism all are at stake in the coming election.  

Mr. President, in your November 7th victory speech as President-elect, you said to Black Americans, “You’ve always had my back, and I’ll have yours.”  “Having our backs” means using your Presidential power to galvanize national support for voting rights despite the failure of the U. S. Senate to pass federal voting rights legislation.   

A recent Politico special report, entitled ‘It’s going to be an army’: Tapes reveal GOP plan to contest Elections” revealed that there is an implemented plan to recruit and train 100,000 partisan poll workers, interrogators, and poll challengers throughout Michigan and key battleground states along with a “hotline” of attorneys to question the legitimacy of voters. We agree that voting is sacred, and politicizing poll workers reflects broader challenges the country has faced recently against the right to vote without restrictions and obstructions. 

Mr. President, we urgently need you to stand firm and use your presidential powers to tell voter obstructionists that we will not stand for the intolerance of voter fairness. People of faith must intervene when politics fails, and we are interfering and seeking your intervention amid dire threats to our democracy and vote. This, for us, is a faith matter and religious issue.    

We seek the following near-term actions by you and your Administration:  

1. A Presidential prime-time address to the nation on the clear and present danger to our democracy of efforts to undermine the coming elections and erect obstacles to the precious freedom to vote. 
2. A conference call by the President to Secretaries of State and state election officials encouraging every deliberate effort to ensure free, fair, and safe elections given threats of partisan poll interrogators and poll challengers in the coming election; and offering federal support where appropriate. 
3. A series of White House meetings convened by the President with diverse faith and civil rights leaders and voting rights lawyers in September and October to discuss your Administration’s planned 2022 actions to protect the vote and the steps they can take to support your efforts.   

Mr. President, we want to know that our children and children’s children know that you and our nation stood strong in the face of evil attacks upon our democracy. Therefore, we respectfully request a prompt response consistent with the urgency of the hour our nation faces. 

God Bless You, and God Bless America.