Election 2026
Primary Election – August 4 (Michigan), August 11 (Wisconsin)
General Election – November 3
The ELCA and the Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) provide resources and opportunities to support rostered ministers, congregations, synod offices, seminaries, campus ministry groups, and individuals with civic engagement. Engagement with God’s work in the public sphere is based on careful discernment that transcends partisanship.
*Any participation by congregations in activities related to the electoral process must be strictly nonpartisan and abide by Internal Revenue Service guidelines.
Elections & the Common Good
This letter from the ELCA bishops of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan highlights trust in our elections system; denounces hateful, deceptive, and violent speech and actions; and affirmsthe importance of protecting every eligible person’s right to vote.
Civic Engagement Planning Tool
LOPPW’s interactive Civic Engagement Planning Tool can help you explore options for civic engagement activities you might like to plan and implement in your context. Take a short “quiz” indicating your capacity level, and receive recommendations for activities!
Online Events
Elections & Civic Engagement: What the ELCA Teaches & How Congregations Can Engage
LOPPW hosted this webinar on July 28. We learned more about why elections matter, what the church teaches, and what you can do. Watch the recording of the video below.
The Election is Over, Now What? Post-Election Processing & Ongoing Engagement
Join LOPPW for an online event in the fall, after the election, to join together after the election. We will discuss the election and consider ways to engage newly elected leaders. Details coming later this year.
Trainings, Presentations, and Blurbs
- Training opportunity on civic engagement education for youth – available to rostered and lay leaders who work with young people. Contact us if you would like to schedule a free training.
- In-person presentations from LOPPW at your congregation or to your ministry team. Contact us to arrange one!
- Blurbs with trusted election information that can be shared in your congregation or ministry team newsletters. Contact us to be added to the distribution list to receive monthly blurbs for your newsletter or church bulletin.
Elections & Civic Engagement Resources
LOPPW and the ELCA have developed resources to support congregations and individuals in nonpartisan civic engagement during election years.
Guides & Toolkits:
These two resources linked will help congregations plan transparent, nonpartisan engagement activities:
- Being a Public Church in the Electoral Process: A Guide for Churches and Rostered Ministers
This six-page guide shares important information related to churches’ involvement, as it relates to nonpartisan and tax-exemption requirements. - ELCA Election Engagement Toolkit
This 20-page guide provides suggestions for civic engagement activities and resources related to specific actions, such as voter registration initiatives and candidate forums. - ELCA Civic Engagement Guide
This guide provides additional recommendations and steps to plan and implement civic engagement activities. - Civic Engagement Planning Tool
Developed by LOPPW, this planning tool can help you quickly browse and consider options for civic engagement activities based on your capacity level and find resources to help you implement them.
Printable Flyers, Checklists, & Other Materials:
- Prepared to Vote Checklist
This one-page document can be printed or shared electronically with congregation members to help them make a voting plan by determining important local deadlines and identifying their polling place. - Faithful Election Engagement for Young Adults
This one-page guide provides an overview of election engagement conversation starters, aimed at a young adult audience. - Voter Guidelines for People Facing Homelessness
This two-page resource outlines opportunities for congregations to support church and community members experiencing homelessness so that they have access to voting. - Fact & Activity Sheet on Race and Voting
This two-page resource can be printed and used as an educational and discussion sheet within congregations to raise awareness of the impact of racism on voting rights and access.
ELCA Social Teaching:
- Faith & Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All
This social statement from the ELCA is a resource for reflection and discernment about the connections between faith and civic life and what the ELCA teaches.
