Florida Faith Leaders Call on Elected Officials to Ensure Voters are Free from Violence and Intimidation at Polls

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, October 28, 2022

MEDIA CONTACT

Austin Schuler, aschuler@faithinpubliclife.org, 540-280-3393

Florida Faith Leaders Call on Elected Officials to Ensure Voters are Free from Violence and Intimidation at Polls

Jacksonville, FL – On Friday, October 28, faith leaders from Florida gathered to call on Secretary of State Cord Byrd to certify election results and for the Supervisors of Elections to ensure polling sites are free from political violence and intimidation. Voting is a sacred right, faith leaders demanded that those responsible for protecting our votes make sure we’re safe at the polls and that our votes are counted.

For a recording of the event, click here.

Pastor Tracey Stallworth, Kingdom Glory Worship Assembly, Quincy

“The citizens in my county [want] to go to a place where it’s safe from them being intimidated or harassed by a ‘special police.’  It is their civic duty. It is their right to be able to cast a vote. And we’re asking you [Secretary of State Cord Byrd], as faith leaders, to uphold and to acknowledge your job description and to ensure that these polls are safe.”

Pastor Marcus McCoy, Greater Refuge Memorial Church, Orlando

“Every eligible voter deserves every available option to make their voice heard in the way that works best for them. This is particularly critical in light of Florida’s twenty year long history of attacking the voting rights of its Black constituents. Polling places must be equally accessible, safe, orderly and free from intimidation. All votes must be counted in a fair and transparent manner.”

Od’Juan Whitfield, Florida Associate Manager, Faith in Public Life

“Our vote is sacred because it’s our power to choose leaders who we can hold accountable to creating communities where we all can thrive. It is up to us [to] make sure that we’re protecting and expanding our neighbors’ freedom to cast the ballot because it is holy. Restricting and interfering with anyone’s ability to participate in our democracy is just flat out wrong.”

###
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.