As you probably know, the Voting Rights Act is being challenged in the US Supreme Court, and General Assembly leaders in Raleigh are renewing their push to pass laws that will make voting harder, especially for African Americans, seniors who no longer drive, people who don’t own a car, and other low-income voters.
These legislators would create a new barrier for voters by requiring them to show a current driver’s license or other government photo ID. They also want to cut a week off of Early Voting, stop counties from offering Sunday Voting, and end Same-Day Registration during Early Voting.
We must speak out and encourage people of faith to express opposition to these voter restrictions. Rev. William Barber, President of the state NAACP, and Bob Hall, Executive Director of Democracy North Carolina, have partnered to create a bulletin insert for use on a Voting Rights Sunday. I’m asking you to help distribute this half-page flyer to your congregation during March. You can view it and download it here or order it below.
As you will see, the bulletin insert is tied in with this month’s observance of “Bloody Sunday”. On March 7, 1965, hundreds of peaceful marchers were beaten and tear-gassed at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama – it’s now known as “Bloody Sunday.” They finally reached Montgomery on March 24. They were demanding an end to the trickery, retaliation, and violence that kept African Americans from being able to register to vote.
Because of Bloody Sunday and the Freedom Movement’s non-violent pressure, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act later in 1965. Now it is threatened, and now the General Assembly is ready to make voting harder in North Carolina.
Democracy NC can provide you with multiple copies of the bulletin insert, at no cost to you and ready to be used. In addition, they can also provide talking points, scripture suggestions, a short video and other material to help make Voting Rights Sunday an important part of a service during March.
To order bulletin inserts or other resources, complete the following information and email it to Bob Hall at sprc@mindspring.com. You can also email him with questions.
Quantity of insert/handouts:
My name:
My mailing address:
City/State/Zip:
Church/organization:
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Do you want additional materials (scripture, sermon ideas, etc.): yes/no?
Prophetic people of faith have been crucial leaders and participants throughout the history of efforts to extend voting rights. Please join us now for this critical campaign to preserve that for which we and those before us have struggled.
–George Reed, Executive Director
