DETROIT (WXYZ) — Faith leaders have always held a voice in politics because of their positions as community leaders. So a group of pastors and bishops from Michigan and Wisconsin are coming together; not to tell people who to vote for, but to encourage people to be engaged and have a say in what happens in this country and their community.
Faith leaders of varying denominations gathering at Detroit's Bethel A.M.E. church with a goal of encouraging at least 75,000 people in Michigan to vote.
150 faith leaders here in Michigan, and another 150 in Wisconsin, are apart of the effort. They are calling it the Voter Engagement Initiative. With a focus on Detroit, Sagninaw, Flint and Grand Rapids.
Their message: Elections matter, and so does your voice.
"Our churches will serve as hubs of empowerment rallying our communities to vote," said Dr. Michael Eaddy with People's Church of the Harvest Church of God in Christ. "This election is about protecting and preserving democracy for everyone"
I checked the voter dashboard, and as of Thursday morning, 30 percent of registered voters have already cast a ballot: 1.69 million through absentee and 505,000 in person.
