Perez was among a half-dozen local religious leaders who held a July 7 news conference at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office to call on elected officials at all levels, but especially those who work to administer elections and certify the results, to sign the Faith in Us “Pledge to Protect Our Freedom to Vote” and commit to the following:

• Abide by the U.S. Constitution and state election laws
• Refuse to comply with any unlawful Executive Orders or data requests from the Department of Justice that seek to restrict voting
• Pledge to faithfully play their role to certify and/or seat the rightfully elected winners of elections this November, regardless of their party affiliation 

A multi-faith organization that began in Minnesota during the street protests against Operation Metro Surge, Faith in Us organized the news conference as part of a national day of action. The group said that more than 1,500 clergy members from nine states and 15 cities participated. 

During the news conference, religious leaders presented a letter sponsored by Faith in Us that explained the many ways voting is “under threat” — from calls to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at polling places; proof of citizenship bills that limit voter access; and federal demands that states give up their voting rolls to enable the federal government to create a centralized voting database. The letter was signed by more than 2,000 area clergy and faith leaders. 

The participants did not mention the Trump administration or the Republican Party by name, although many of the recent state and federal proposals tightening voter registration requirements and voting procedures have been sponsored by Republican lawmakers, including House Bill 991, which goes into effect in 2027 and requires “evidence of citizenship,” like a passport or birth certificate, on file to register to vote or stay on the voter rolls and limits the types of acceptable IDs. Supporters say it would prevent noncitizen voting, while opponents argue it could make registration more difficult for some eligible voters. 

The federal SAVE Act, currently stalled in Congress, would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.  

“These efforts limit access to the ballot box and intimidate eligible voters, especially eligible voters of color and poverty. This makes us less free and gives us less power as voters to choose our leaders” according to the letter.

Rev. Margalie Belizaire of the First Unitarian Church of Orlando said 61 years after the Voting Rights Act passed, racial and ethnic minorities are still fighting for the fundamental right to vote.

“It is wrong to keep chipping away at the rights of people who vote, and it is something we must speak about. The same way we can speak about all the, you know, the beautiful land here, we must be able to speak about the ugliness we're seeing, because if we're not speaking about it, we're culpable,” she said.

Rev. Sarah Robinson, the pastor at Audubon Park Church in Orlando who helped organize the news conference, called on elected leaders to protect people’s voting rights and urged eligible voters, regardless of political affiliation, to make a plan to vote for the Aug. 18 primary and Nov. 3 general election. She said voters unsure about their registration status should contact their county elections office. 

The Orange County Supervisor of Elections can be reached here or by calling 407-836-2070. To request a mail-in ballot by Aug. 6 — the last day to make requests — call 407-836-8683 or click here. 

“The right to vote is not a political favor; it is a sacred trust,” said Bishop William Cavins of the Abiding Presence Faith Community in Orlando. “A ballot … may look small, but it carries a human voice. It carries the hopes of families, elders, workers, students, new citizens, veterans, and neighbors who want their communities to matter.”