There is a lot of noise before an election.

The advertisements begin. The signs go up. Our phones fill with messages. Social media grows louder. Candidates make their cases, commentators offer their analysis, and friends and family sometimes discover that they see the same world very differently.

In the midst of all that noise, people of faith might be called to do something countercultural: slow down.

Not because the issues don’t matter. They do.

Not because our convictions don’t matter. They do.

But because our faith calls us to discern—to listen carefully, seek understanding, consider the lives of our neighbors, and act with humility and hope.

As we approach the 2026 midterm elections, this reflection is offered in a nonpartisan spirit. It is not an endorsement of a candidate, political party, or electoral outcome. Rather, it is an invitation to consider how we, as people of faith, might faithfully use the voice and vote entrusted to us.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has long understood civic engagement as part of faithful discipleship. Its voter-engagement work emphasizes voter education, voting rights, and participation in democratic life.

Perhaps, then, our invitation is simple: consider using your voice and your vote to love your neighbor.

1. Begin by listening

In polarized times, it can be tempting to look at someone else’s political choices and ask, “Why would they vote against their own interests?”

But perhaps that question assumes too much.

Instead, we might ask: “How well do we really know our neighbor?”

What are they worried about? What are they hoping for? What experiences have shaped them? What do they believe will make life better for their family or community?

People bring histories, fears, hopes, identities, and deeply held understandings of the common good into the voting booth.

Listening does not require agreement. It requires relationship. For Christians, that relationship begins with the belief that every person bears the image of God.

Before we speak, perhaps we should listen. Before we decide, perhaps we should learn.

Faithful advocacy begins with paying attention to our neighbors and their true needs.

2. Make room for discernment

Election season can make us feel as though we need to know everything immediately.

But faithful discernment takes time.

Instead of experiencing the election only through national headlines, advertisements, and social media, take a moment to find out what is actually on your ballot.

Depending on where you live, that may include congressional races, state and local offices, judges, or ballot measures. Election rules and procedures vary by state and locality, so your state or local election office is the best source for current information about registration, voting options, deadlines, and polling places. The United States Election Commission Assistance webpage is a good place to begin.

Once you are registered, be sure to get a sample ballot before you vote. Read it. Become familiar with what you will be asked to consider.

Research candidates and read their public statements. When available, consider their records. Pay attention to campaign funding and the interests of large donors, while also considering the many sources of support and accountability that shape public officials.

Read ballot measures carefully. Ask what a proposal actually does and who may be most affected.

This is more than voter preparation. It is an act of faithful discernment. Taking time to understand what is before us is one way of taking seriously the lives of the people our decisions will affect.

3. Make a plan to participate

Voting does not have to happen only on Election Day.

Many states offer early in-person voting, voting by mail, or other ways to cast a ballot before Election Day. Rules, locations, and dates vary, so voters should check with their state or local election office for the options available to them.

With so many ways to participate, consider your options, check your calendar, and make a plan.

Making a plan on how to use your voice and vote this election season may sound ordinary, but perhaps that is the point. We make plans because something matters to us. We make plans to show up for people we love. We make plans for worship, family gatherings, time with friends, work, and celebrations. It is vital that we make a plan to participate in our democracy, too.

Consider sharing your plan with family, friends, and neighbors. A simple conversation about when, where, and how you intend to vote may encourage someone else to think about their own participation.

Sometimes, making space for civic participation begins with something as ordinary as putting a date on the calendar.

4. Encourage the next generation

For some young adults, the 2026 midterms may be their first eligible election.

That first experience can matter. Research from Cambridge University Press on voting behavior suggests that early experiences with voting can contribute to patterns of participation in future elections of the same type.

So, think about the young person in your life who may be approaching a first election. Rather than telling them what to believe or how to vote, sit beside them. Help them find their ballot. Answer questions about the democratic process and why it matters. Talk with them about how they might decide what matters to them. Help them make a voting plan.

The goal is not to create voters who vote like us. It is to help create a generation of people who understand that participating in public life is part of belonging to a community.

We can remind young people that their voices belong in our shared life and that their participation is one way they contribute to the common good.

5. Remove barriers where you can

Not everyone experiences voting in the same way.

Some people have transportation and flexible schedules. Others are balancing work, caregiving, disability, language barriers, or other challenges. The PC(USA) has connected voting rights and democratic participation with its broader commitment to justice and human dignity.

Sometimes loving our neighbor looks very practical.

It may mean sharing accurate information about voter registration or helping someone understand how to register. It may mean helping someone understand their voting options, checking the location and hours of an early voting site, or explaining how to return a mail ballot.

It may also mean serving as a poll worker, poll observer, or poll chaplain.

Poll workers help make Election Day possible. They welcome voters, verify registrations, issue ballots, explain voting procedures, and assist voters as they navigate the process. For someone who is voting for the first time, has questions, or simply feels uncertain about what to expect, a patient and welcoming poll worker can make a meaningful difference.

Poll observers can play another important role by witnessing the electoral process and helping promote transparency and public confidence. The responsibilities and rules for poll observers vary by state and locality, so those interested should learn about the requirements and expectations of where they live.

And people of faith might also consider serving as poll chaplains. A poll chaplain can offer a ministry of presence to voters and poll workers, offering a listening ear, and, where permitted, provide spiritual support without advocating for a candidate, party, or political position. In a season when emotions can run high, simply being a calm and compassionate presence can be a meaningful act of service. Poll chaplains can also help promote a peaceful environment by practicing de-escalation, listening with patience, and responding to moments of tension with compassion and care. Sometimes, creating space for people to pause, breathe, and be heard can help lower the temperature and remind us that even in moments of disagreement, we remain neighbors.

Federal protections also provide voters with disabilities with the right to vote privately and independently and to receive appropriate assistance. Supporting accessible participation means paying attention to the needs of our neighbors and helping ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote can participate with dignity.

These roles look different, but they share something important: they place us alongside our neighbors.

6. Carry hope into the public square

Perhaps the most important thing we can carry into an election season is not certainty, but hope. Christian hope does not require us to believe that an election will solve every problem. It calls us to believe that our participation matters. It reminds us that our neighbors matter. It affirms that listening and discernment matter. It tells us that showing up for one another matters. And perhaps this is why we slow down amid the noise.

We slow down enough to listen.

We take time to learn what is on the ballot.

We make a plan to participate.

We help someone else find their way into the process.

And we remember that the person who votes differently from us is still our neighbor.

The 2026 midterms will bring many voices into the public square. We do not have to add to the noise simply by becoming louder. Perhaps we can offer something different:

A listening ear.

A thoughtful question.

A willingness to learn.

A commitment to participate.

A hand extended to a neighbor.

And a faith that calls us to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

So, in the weeks ahead, consider what it might mean to bring your faith into this election season—not by seeking certainty or agreement from everyone around you, but by practicing the habits that help communities flourish.

Because using our voice and our vote is not only about what happens at the ballot box. It is also about how we live with one another on the way there.

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Rev. Christina A. Cosby is the Representative for Domestic and Environmental Policy Concerns with the Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness in Washington,DC, where she advocates for policies rooted in social justice, human dignity, and environmental stewardship. A dynamic faith-based advocate, Christina bridges church values with government action, championing climate justice and domestic human needs. Previously, she served as Middle East and Europe Mission Specialist with former Presbyterian World Mission and as Director of Christian Formation at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. An ordained minister in the Presbytery of the Peaks, Christina holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and Interpersonal Communication from Queens University of Charlotte.