"Called To Be a Public Church" is intended to encourage congregations to participate in voter registration drives, voter mobilization campaigns, and poll monitoring. This guide also contains nonpartisan issue briefs on issues related to the ELCA social statements.
Get Out the Vote
VOTER MOBILIZATION
GOTV: Get-Out-The-Vote
Simply stated, a Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) campaign encourages people to go to the polls on Election Day.
A GOTV effort can be constructed in many different and creative ways to facilitate access to civic participation or voting faced by your particular community. This can mean anything from knocking on doors of voters in your communities to providing transportation assistance to the polls on Election Day.
Resources to help you get started:
Called To Be A Public Church
Elections Matter
The year 2008 will bring the culmination of a long election season during a contentious time in American politics. It is our responsibility to engage in the processes that remind all candidates to make relief for hungry and poor people a priority. To convey this message, concerned people of faith can and should be involved in all aspects of electoral campaigns. Americans will elect a president in 2008. Voters will also select 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 35 Senators and 11 governors.
Bread for the World Institute, which provides analysis on hunger policy issues, developed this handbook to help Christians and other people of faith concerned about hunger and poverty to become involved in these elections. We especially hope that the tools offered here will help shape efforts to educate congressional candidates. These aspiring leaders must know that Americans are deeply concerned about hunger.
Navigating the Intersection of Religion & Politics
Religion and Politics
"Religion and Politics: A Guide for Houses of Worship"
This resource helps religious leaders during the campaign season understand:
- The importance of encouraging their members/congregants to vote.
- Why they should never tell members/congregants whom to vote for.
- That a partnership between religion and government can and should preserve the autonomy of houses of worship and ensure that religious institutions are not held hostage to the priorities and interests of federal, state, or local governments.
- That religion's powerful healing force in politics can be severely compromised when America's shared values are replaced by values that advance only particular sectarian interests.
The Catholic Vote
Its five chapters cover the importance of participating in the political life of a community; the extent to which catholic values influence catholic voter choices the significant issues; how to evaluate candidates for office; and how the catholic tradition can transform our political landscape.
