This Sunday, conservative churches across Washington, including gun shops and other gathering places for Republicans, will feature ballot collection boxes as part of a GOP initiative led by Washington State Republican Chair Rep. Jim Walsh.
The effort, dubbed “Bring Your Ballot to Church Day, is organized in conjunction with the Family Policy Institute of Washington FPIW. The campaign aims to encourage voter turnout among conservative communities.
Ballot harvesting, or the practice of collecting and submitting completed ballots on behalf of voters, is legal in Washington. Despite past criticism from Republicans, who previously accused Democrats of using this tactic to manipulate elections, the GOP is now embracing the strategy to boost voter participation. Walsh stated that the goal is simply to increase turnout to help their candidates win.
Pastor Brian Noble, CEO and president of FPIW, emphasized the power of Christian voters in swinging elections toward conservative candidates.
Westgate Chapel in Edmonds is one of the churches participating, though a spokesperson declined media interviews.
On the other hand, First AME, Seattle’s oldest Black church, is hosting its own Bring Your Ballot to Church Day on November 3. Instead of using collection boxes, worshippers will march to a nearby ballot box as a public display of activism, continuing a long-standing tradition of civic engagement.
This marks a significant shift in the GOP’s approach to election turnout, mirroring strategies long used by Democrats in the state.