Loving Our Neighbors, the Election Heroes
It takes a community to make our elections function. Poll workers, municipal and county clerks, and election officials are our neighbors. October 20th is “Election Hero Day”, a day to celebrate all these people.
We invite your congregation to pray for election heroes on October 18th as a part of worship. Additionally, we invite you to send a team of people to bring cookies, cards, or other tokens of appreciation to your local clerk’s office on Tuesday, October 20th as a public show of support.
O God of all creation, we thank you for all people made in your image. We thank you for the strength, tenacity, and thoughtfulness of the people who ensure voting is accessible to all. We thank you for poll workers, election office staff, municipal and county election clerks, boards of canvassers, and state election officials. We ask in your everlasting comfort that you care for these people. Keep these good and kind servants safe in their work. Wrap them in your great arms, O God, care for them in their steadfast dedication to justice, and support them in their passion for equity. God, help us to care for those who care for us in our voting rights. God, bless these election day workers, not just when we see them at the polls, but in their daily work to ensure they are loved, cared for, and safe in their communities. Amen.
Written by Rev. Jo Wiersema
A Prayer for Election Heroes
Celebrating local election heroes can be an activity for the entire worshipping community.
During Worship
Pray for election heroes - Download Bulletin Insert here.
Encourage people to send a text message to someone they know who works in our elections saying “Thank You”.
Invite someone who works at the polls to share a short testimony about their experience.
After Worship
Sign a card for your local municipal and/or county clerk
Have a table with information about working as an election official (To learn more, go to www.powerthepolls.org/ or contact your local municipal clerk’s office)
Organize a team to bring cookies and other tokens of appreciation to your local clerks office on Tuesday, October 20th, national Election Hero Day
With Children
Invite them to create cards for election workers
On Church communications
Post a Thank You with a photo of your congregation on social media and in your newsletter
Include information on how to sign up to work at the polls. (To learn more, go to www.powerthepolls.org/ or contact your local municipal clerk’s office)
On Tuesday, October 20th
Send a team to your local clerk’s office with tokens of appreciation.
Better yet, coordinate with other churches in town and make it an ecumenical event! (Let us know if you are planning something)