Black faith leaders look to increase unity, voter turnout

A group of reverends met in Trenton to discuss ways to increase Black voter turnout

Zack Blackburn, NJ Globe | October 9, 2024

Black faith leaders discuss voter turnout efforts, Oct. 9, 2024. (Photo: Zach Blackburn for the New Jersey Globe)

Less than a month until Election Day, a group of Black faith leaders joined forces in Trenton on Wednesday to share plans to boost Black turnout in the Garden State.

Salvation and Social Justice, a faith-based progressive organization headed by Rev. Charles Boyer, hosted a group of Black reverends from around the state at Trenton’s Friendship Baptist Church. Leaders from African Methodist Episcopal churches, Baptist churches, and the Church Of God In Christ emphasized plans like Souls to the Polls and voter registration drives.

“And once you have AMEs, Baptists, and COGIC, you’ve got 90% the black church,” Boyer said.

The leaders were particularly focused on uniting and strengthening the Black church to achieve the level of political influence it attained during the Civil Rights Movement. Bishop William T. Cahoon, borrowing a phrase from Vice President Kamala Harris, said “We ain’t going back” on issues like civil rights.

“The Black church exists because racism exists,” Cahoon said. “We wouldn’t even need the Black church if racism didn’t exist. And so because of the outright horrific levels of racism being poured out venomously through certain aspects throughout this season that we’re in, it’s that much more critical that we mobilize.”

Rev. Ritney A. Castine of Jersey City’s Mt. Pisgah AME Church spoke on efforts faith leaders can make to increase turnout among their congregations.

“There are ways that we can utilize our bully pulpits,” Castine said. “We can use our church bulletins. We can use our church newsletters to provide pertinent information as it relates to election deadlines, registration deadlines, polling locations, changes to those locations, all that kind of stuff. We can also use our vans, our church vans that we have.”

Castine said he also hosted an event Tuesday at a light rail station in Jersey City, and that he registered dozens of young people to vote.

“There are ways for us to do this that don’t cost much money, that don’t take up a lot of time, and that fits really well within our mission.”

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