Mormon Women for Ethical Government Promotes Voter Registration, Education, and Turnout Ahead of Midterm Elections

Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) engaged intensively in the Kavanaugh confirmation battle out of our desire to protect the legitimacy of the Supreme Court and because of our conviction that sexual assault allegations should be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. As a nonpartisan group, we are united in concern that public trust in our civic institutions is harmed by bitter and divisive partisanship. (Our final statement on the Supreme Court confirmation proceedings can be found here.)

In concrete terms, MWEG is channeling the emotions experienced during the Supreme Court confirmation proceedings toward a full-court press for voter registration, education, and turnout ahead of the midterm elections. MWEG members across the country are hosting nonpartisan Voter Preparation Parties, candidate forums, and voter registration drives. A portion of these events will be open to the media; to coordinate your media invite, email press@mweg.org. MWEG has prepared party invitations and voter preparation materials that members can use in these efforts (all materials can be found in a shared Google Drive here). In addition, we are launching a social media campaign today to share women’s stories of why they vote, with an emphasis on the importance of voting in local elections. Our members are committed to helping elect candidates at all levels of government who demonstrate character, honesty, trustworthiness, a willingness to prioritize the common good, and a commitment to ethical leadership. They are leveraging their time, energy, and social networks to support that commitment.

Because of our institutional and personal commitment to voter participation, we are concerned about the findings of the recent Associated Press investigation of the Georgia elections. We affirm that governmental legitimacy is predicated on free and fair elections. Local, state, and federal officials should do all within their power to ensure not only that all citizens have equal access to the voting booth but also that election systems, districting, and registration are free from any hint of partisan influence. Recent developments in Georgia violate the spirit of these principles and are particularly problematic given the state’s history of disenfranchising African American voters.

We also believe that no government official should ever have direct control over any election in which they are personally participating; this represents a conflict of interest and can be seen as an attempt to use the power or authority granted conditionally by the voice of the people for the purposes of self-interest. This conflict represents a violation of both peaceful and ethical standards of government.

We join other voices calling for Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp to recuse himself from any issues regarding voter applications or election administration. Without such action, reasonable individuals may be left with questions about the election’s legitimacy. Anyone seeking to stand at the head of state government must be prepared to demonstrate an impeccable commitment to democratic principles and a willingness to defend the franchise of all voters.

In response to the divisiveness of the general public discourse over the past few weeks, we are redoubling our commitment to our six foundational Principles of Peacemaking. Adherence to those principles matters most in the moments in which they would be most easily discarded. We will choose in all cases to be proactive and courageous makers of peace.

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Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) is a nonpartisan group of over 6,000 women dedicated to the ideals of decency, honor, accountability, transparency, and justice in governing. MWEG is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.