With the U.S. midterm election right around the corner and the landscape of voter eligibility constantly changing in Florida, churches, mosques and temples are stepping up to help people verify their voter registration and get ready for Election Day.
"Souls to the Voter Rolls" is an interfaith initiative happening this week at places of worship around Miami-Dade County. Volunteers are working Thursday through Sunday before and after church services to check visitors' voter registration status and help them get registered if needed. Visitors do not need to be part of a congregation to participate.
" Everybody's welcome. This is an effort to bring the community out," said Reverend Ana Jackson of Sellers Memorial United Methodist Church near Miami's Little River area.
Jackson's church is one of 15 places of worship taking part in Souls to the Voter Rolls. She believes civic participation is part of the church's mission, especially during times of unrest or injustice.
" We are called as Christians, as pastors and as laypeople to do justice. We're called to make sure that everyone's dignity is upheld, everyone's voice is heard," Jackson told WLRN.
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Souls to the Voter Rolls owes its origins to Black churches that pushed voter participation in underserved communities and helped congregations get to voting sites during the Civil Rights era of the 1960s.
This year, volunteers will help participants make sense of recent changes to Florida's voting laws, including a recent rule that ejected thousands of voters deemed "inactive" because they had not participated in recent elections. A new state law requiring people show proof of citizenship when registering to vote does not take effect until 2027, but voting advocacy groups fear it may cause a chilling effect deterring people from the ballot box.
A full list of Souls to the Voter Rolls locations and times can be found on the website of People Acting for Community Together (PACT), one of the main advocacy groups behind the event. Other participating groups include the Miami-Dade League of Women Voters, Engage Miami and Barry University.
The voter registration deadline to participate in the Nov. 3 midterm election is Monday, Oct. 5.
For more information on how to register, check out WLRN's election guide.
