Seattle's Oldest Black Church Leads March to the Ballot Box Ahead of 2026 Midterms

First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Seattle, the city's oldest Black church, organized a "March to the Ballot Box" on November 1, 2026, as the closing event of its "Every Household, Every Ballot" campaign.

The campaign, known as EHEB, launched during the August 2026 primary with a focus on voter education and household-level planning. Church leaders worked with members to map out voting logistics for each family, including transportation, polling locations, and early voting options.

The November 1 march served as a public call to action two days before the general election. Participants walked together to a nearby polling site in a demonstration of civic engagement rooted in the church's long history of community organizing.

Black voter turnout in the 2026 midterm cycle has drawn national attention. Reporting ahead of the November 3 election indicated potential for presidential-level participation, driven by concerns over inflation, healthcare costs, and recent Supreme Court decisions affecting voting rights and redistricting.

FAME's effort reflects a broader pattern of Black church involvement in voter mobilization. Congregations across the country have organized rides to the polls, hosted candidate forums, and trained members as poll workers and election observers.

The church's campaign also addressed concerns among some community members about immigration enforcement at polling sites. While the Department of Homeland Security stated it had no plans to send agents to the polls, faith leaders in several cities took steps to reassure voters and ensure access remained open to all.