Black Georgia Faith Leaders Call on Officials to Ensure Voters are Free from Violence and Intimidation on Election Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 4, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT
Austin Schuler, aschuler@faithinpubliclife.org, 540-280-3393
Black Georgia Faith Leaders Call on Officials to Ensure Voters are Free from Violence and Intimidation on Election Day
Atlanta, GA – On Friday, November 4, Black faith leaders across Georgia came together to call on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to certify election results reflective of the will of the people and for the Board of Elections to ensure polling sites are free from violence and intimidation on Election Day.
Faith in Public Life has trained over 45 peacekeepers and poll workers around the state and will have faith leaders at polling sites across Georgia on Election Day.
For a recording of the event, click here.
Gerald Griggs, Esq., Georgia NAACP President
“What we would just like to reiterate to the elected officials is to allow the will of the people to take place. Prevent any unnecessary and unlawful activity to occur. And let’s make sure that the will of Georgia is done. As the oldest civil rights organization whose primary focus is to fight and maintain power at the ballot box, we are monitoring.”
Rev. James Woodall, Public Policy Associate at Southern Center for Human Rights
“I join with my fellow brethren of the Gospel to call on our state election officials to protect our elections. Particularly, we are interested in a free and fair election on November 8th. What that means is that every single person who is eligible under the state’s laws [is] able to participate in this process called democracy.”
Rev. Willie Wiley, Pastor Vanderhorst CME Church, Thomson
“I’m concerned about the people who work in the precincts and polls who may be unduly intimidated by others’ behavior. I’m asking that those who are part of the process, which is what we should be putting our faith in, be mindful that we are charged to ensure that we do our job in a way that will actually be meaningful to the state of Georgia and the nation.”
Rev. John DeLoney, Associate Pastor, Ignite Church of Atlanta
“It’s clear that in our democracy, there’s some on the other side that’s not even concerned about the Black vote and engaging our community and drawing us in to genuinely get us to vote at the ballot box. They would rather redistrict and intimidate people at the ballot box.”
Rev. Dr. Donny Green, Sr., Pastor Bible Way Missionary Baptist Church, Albany
“There is a lot at stake. So we are here in Albany and we’re trying to make it happen. And I believe it will happen because we believe that all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord.”
Rev. Fer-Rell M. Malone, Sr., Pastor Macedonia Baptist Church, Waycross, CEO FRESH Communities
“We have to make sure that the Secretary of State and the General Assembly do not take the authority and the power from the local community and from the citizens who are in a democracy. Every vote counts and every vote should therefore be valued and brought to a full fruition of where we are.
Rev. Corey Brown, Founder and Executive Director, BRIDGE Interfaith Alliance, Valdosta
“We are welcoming everyone to the polls and we’re making sure it’s a safe, fair and free election. Then we are welcoming Jesus. We are operating in the Gospel in the way that it was intended.
Min. Shavonne D. Williams, Georgia Organizing Ambassador, Faith in Public Life, Hephzibah
“We have people of faith mobilized throughout Georgia, in Atlanta, as well as throughout the Black Belt, especially to help protect our elections. People that are armed with the number for election protection, the 866-OUR-VOTE number. We have folks there that are going to be a peaceful presence at the precincts and that will be calling in any problems and that are making sure voters have access to this number. We have people out there doing what’s right and now we’re calling on our election officials to do what is right.”
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Faith in Public Life is a national movement of clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice, equality and the common good. Together, with a network of over 50,000 leaders, they are leading the fight to advance just policies at the state and federal level that affirm our values and the human dignity of all.