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Faith Groups Kick Off Voter Registration And Organization Efforts

Groups around the state are starting to mobilize the people they hope will turn out this fall by organizing statewide voter registration drives.

The Ohio Organizing Collaborative, which includes 20 organizations, including liberal leaning churches, is trying to get Ohioans to exercise their right to vote this fall. Pastor Michael Harrison is with the Union Baptist Church in Youngstown.

Pastor Michael Harrison speaks on steps of Ohio Statehouse
Credit Jo Ingles
Pastor Michael Harrison speaks on steps of Ohio Statehouse

“What we’ve got to do is get into the hedges and highway to do what needs to be done. There’s at least 51 million, roughly 25% of the voting age of Americans, who haven’t even registered to vote. And so we’ve made it up in our mind that we’re going to get them out to vote.”

The Ohio Christian Alliance, which represents more conservative leaning churches, will likely be active this election as well. The group sent out more than a half million voter guides to churches statewide last fall, urging voters to reject the marijuana legalization effort. They did. Two issues legalizing medical marijuana could be on the ballot this fall.

Copyright 2021 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Anne Morrice (left) registers to vote with Jomo Walker (right)
Jo Ingles /
Anne Morrice (left) registers to vote with Jomo Walker (right)

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.