Praise, Prayer, and Prepping for the Polls on Easter Sunday
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: August 31, 2012
Nearly 500 people attended Grace Temple's Easter Sunday services for praise and prayer.
As they filed in the doors, however, they had a chance to prepare to head to the polls by registering to vote.
"This is where it [community activism] started in slavery, and it is still the hub of confidence and commitments within the African American community. It starts within the church," said Bishop Steven Arnold of Grace Temple.
A coalition of about 20 Central Arkansas churches within the African American community have collaborated to get 5,000 Arkansans on the voter rolls who weren't already registered this Easter Sunday.
"It's a privilege that has been fought for down through the years," Arnold said of the right to vote. "People have given their blood, sweat and tears. We shouldn't take that for granted."
While patrons celebrated the resurrection of Jesus, volunteers hope this registration effort causes a resurgence of interest in the political process as well.
In the 2010 elections, more than one million Arkansans failed to register to vote. Of those who were registered voters, only 40 percent actually cast a ballot.
"You can't complain about change if you don't get out there and vote," he said, thumbing through forms.
Tramon Arnold set up shop behind the registration table before the 11:00 a.m. church service at Grace Temple. Spending the better part of an hour answering questions and offering directions.
"It's not hard at all on the voter registration paper. It's 11 boxes you have to fill out and that's it.," he said.
Getting Out Good Information
But he meets people who have been either disenchanted with the political process, or who are simply unaware of the rules.
"I think it's intimidating. I think it's not informed the way it should be. But It's not intimidating at all -- but I think myths are put out there to make it seem like it is intimidating," he said.
Sometimes individuals have been given misinformation that's led them to remain inactive as citizens.
"Especially people who have spent time in jail," he said. "They will think that because they're a felon they can't vote, but that's not true. If you've completed your sentence, your parole, whatever, you can vote."
Raymond Johnson walked straight past the table as he entered for Easter services.
"Sir, are you registered to vote?" Tramon Arnold had called out to him.
"I can't vote, I'm a felon," he said.
"Have you completed your sentence?" Tramon Arnold asked.
When Johnson answered in the affirmative, Arnold stretched out a pin.
"I was convicted five years ago, and I had been told that I wasn't allowed to vote in Arkansas as a felon," Johnson told us. "But he [Arnold] changed that for me."
"Sometimes those are just barriers, road blocks that are put out there, I think, to keep some communities from getting active," Arnold said. "So we want to break down those myths and barriers and make it clear that it's easy to vote, and you should take the few steps necessary to do that."
A Hard-Fought Right's Been Won.
Tramon Arnold encourages the church's congregation to let their voices be heard, not only from within the church building but at the ballot box as well.
"Your voice is your vote," he said. "A lot of people died for this opportunity for us to vote. I feel that it's my obligation and duty to get out there and vote. "
For Janet Williams, when she thinks about the right to vote, it's a reflection on the past as much as it is a decision of the present.
"As a woman first of all, I have the right to vote today whereas men have had the right throughout the ages," she said. "And as an African-American, I have that right as well, after so many fought so hard for it. It's important to be active and it's important to vote."
"You think about what your foreparents went through to win that right," she said. "And then you think about the fact that there are places in the world, still today, where it's illegal for a woman to vote, or for anyone to vote at all."
Bishop Steven Arnold says that's the point people must be reminded of, that the disengaged are the disenfranchised.
"People have these rights, they get accustomed to having them, and we take them for granted," he said. "But this is a privilege. It's our duty to take part in the process. To have fair representation in the process."
And he believes the church is the place the efforts need to begin in the community.
"It has to be. This has been and will continue to be the hub of information for our communities," he said. "But it's the idea we want as many people as possible involved, we want our communities represented, regardless of what community it is -- what religion it is -- we just want people to take an active roll in the process."
Registering to Vote
These churches out in the community plan to continue efforts to register Arkansans who need to be added to the rolls.
However, you can register to vote at your local:
County clerk's office in your home county
State Revenue Office, Driver Services
Public library or Arkansas State Library
Public assistance agency
Disability agency
Military recruitment office
Arkansas National Guard
For more information on registering to vote, where your polling location will be, or other election day details, click here.
As they filed in the doors, however, they had a chance to prepare to head to the polls by registering to vote.
"This is where it [community activism] started in slavery, and it is still the hub of confidence and commitments within the African American community. It starts within the church," said Bishop Steven Arnold of Grace Temple.
A coalition of about 20 Central Arkansas churches within the African American community have collaborated to get 5,000 Arkansans on the voter rolls who weren't already registered this Easter Sunday.
"It's a privilege that has been fought for down through the years," Arnold said of the right to vote. "People have given their blood, sweat and tears. We shouldn't take that for granted."
While patrons celebrated the resurrection of Jesus, volunteers hope this registration effort causes a resurgence of interest in the political process as well.
In the 2010 elections, more than one million Arkansans failed to register to vote. Of those who were registered voters, only 40 percent actually cast a ballot.
"You can't complain about change if you don't get out there and vote," he said, thumbing through forms.
Tramon Arnold set up shop behind the registration table before the 11:00 a.m. church service at Grace Temple. Spending the better part of an hour answering questions and offering directions.
"It's not hard at all on the voter registration paper. It's 11 boxes you have to fill out and that's it.," he said.
Getting Out Good Information
But he meets people who have been either disenchanted with the political process, or who are simply unaware of the rules.
"I think it's intimidating. I think it's not informed the way it should be. But It's not intimidating at all -- but I think myths are put out there to make it seem like it is intimidating," he said.
Sometimes individuals have been given misinformation that's led them to remain inactive as citizens.
"Especially people who have spent time in jail," he said. "They will think that because they're a felon they can't vote, but that's not true. If you've completed your sentence, your parole, whatever, you can vote."
Raymond Johnson walked straight past the table as he entered for Easter services.
"Sir, are you registered to vote?" Tramon Arnold had called out to him.
"I can't vote, I'm a felon," he said.
"Have you completed your sentence?" Tramon Arnold asked.
When Johnson answered in the affirmative, Arnold stretched out a pin.
"I was convicted five years ago, and I had been told that I wasn't allowed to vote in Arkansas as a felon," Johnson told us. "But he [Arnold] changed that for me."
"Sometimes those are just barriers, road blocks that are put out there, I think, to keep some communities from getting active," Arnold said. "So we want to break down those myths and barriers and make it clear that it's easy to vote, and you should take the few steps necessary to do that."
A Hard-Fought Right's Been Won.
Tramon Arnold encourages the church's congregation to let their voices be heard, not only from within the church building but at the ballot box as well.
"Your voice is your vote," he said. "A lot of people died for this opportunity for us to vote. I feel that it's my obligation and duty to get out there and vote. "
For Janet Williams, when she thinks about the right to vote, it's a reflection on the past as much as it is a decision of the present.
"As a woman first of all, I have the right to vote today whereas men have had the right throughout the ages," she said. "And as an African-American, I have that right as well, after so many fought so hard for it. It's important to be active and it's important to vote."
"You think about what your foreparents went through to win that right," she said. "And then you think about the fact that there are places in the world, still today, where it's illegal for a woman to vote, or for anyone to vote at all."
Bishop Steven Arnold says that's the point people must be reminded of, that the disengaged are the disenfranchised.
"People have these rights, they get accustomed to having them, and we take them for granted," he said. "But this is a privilege. It's our duty to take part in the process. To have fair representation in the process."
And he believes the church is the place the efforts need to begin in the community.
"It has to be. This has been and will continue to be the hub of information for our communities," he said. "But it's the idea we want as many people as possible involved, we want our communities represented, regardless of what community it is -- what religion it is -- we just want people to take an active roll in the process."
Registering to Vote
These churches out in the community plan to continue efforts to register Arkansans who need to be added to the rolls.
However, you can register to vote at your local:
County clerk's office in your home county
State Revenue Office, Driver Services
Public library or Arkansas State Library
Public assistance agency
Disability agency
Military recruitment office
Arkansas National Guard
For more information on registering to vote, where your polling location will be, or other election day details, click here.
