Detroit’s Black Churches Launch Voter Initiative
In a bid to bolster voter participation among Black residents in Detroit, a coalition of local church leaders is spearheading a new initiative named “Lift Every Voice and Vote.”
The initiative’s primary focus is to motivate Black Detroiters to not only register but also consistently participate in every election. A significant push is being made to encourage voters to join the absentee ballot list for all electoral events.
Emphasizing the importance of this campaign, the group’s website states, “If we don’t speak up – others will speak for us. We can ensure we never miss an election by signing up for the permanent absentee ballot list. Only 13% of Detroit voted last time. Imagine our power if 100% of us were permanent voters.”
Charles Ellis, serving as Bishop of the Greater Grace Temple, expressed his ambition to see full voter registration among his congregation.
“I would hope, absolutely, I could get 100% of the congregants to register to vote,” Ellis remarked. “Now we have to move forward with part two, let’s get them to actively utilize their voter registration.”
Ellis underscored the urgency of the campaign, particularly against the backdrop of current voter suppression efforts that could potentially disenfranchise disheartened Black and minority voters.
“We can continue to talk about what happened 50, 60-plus years ago, and think that this generation will get it, and I think that that’s where we’re mistaken,” he observed.
The campaign aims to spread its message through a vibrant social media presence under the hashtag #WhyIVote, supplemented by sermons and community activist outreach.
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