From the pews to the polls: Durham church hosts 'Souls to the Polls'
St. Joseph AME Church hosted “Souls to the Polls” Sunday in Durham.
The church holds the event to promote voter engagement and consists of multiple church organizations and faith leaders from across the city.
In Durham, only 12% of voters cast ballots in municipal primary elections. Over 240,000 residents reside in the city.
“The numbers have been sad, but we’re going to do everything we can to make sure those numbers increase,” Senior Pastor Jay Augustine said.
The low turnout is causing concern as new congressional maps have also been approved, raising questions about the intersection of race and politics.
“We’re concerned because quite frankly, once again, democracy is under attack,” Augustine said. “North Carolina has institutionalized, or finally implemented, what I considered to be voter suppression laws.”
The new maps drew widespread criticism from anti-gerrymandering groups, who said the maps unconstitutionally discriminate against Black voters and other minority groups.
Republican redistricting officials repeatedly said they didn’t use racial data when drawing the maps, adding the maps were drawn for “political gain” and the maps were fair and lawful.
Augustine said there is one specific precinct the group targeted for the event.
“We are deliberately targeting NCCU Law School,” Augustine explained. “We have geographic proximity with that precinct, but we recognize, historically, that precinct has underperformed. We don’t want it to close.”
Rabbi Robin Damsky is one of the many faith leaders who shared that election results will no longer be reflective of all people under the new maps.
“I am so concerned about the rights of voters being taken away right and left. After reading about the gerrymandering laws this Thursday, my heart sank,” Damsky said. “To be here, and have the opportunity to connect and build community and share and work together and bring goodness together through votes.”
Augustine said in the meantime, providing transportation, access and awareness is crucial to make sure everyone can exercise their constitutional right.
“I invite every person, please, to vote,” Augustine said. “Your life depends on it. Your freedom depends on it.”
