“The days that Black people vote for somebody because they’re Black, that’s over,” said Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Louis Murphy. Black churches and community organizations are mobilizing voters ahead of elections, with leaders in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Marin City, California, emphasizing economic pressures and local representation, Bay News 9 and localnewsmatters.org reported.
In South St. Petersburg, Bishop Manuel Sykes of Bethel Community Baptist Church said his congregation remains a regular stop for politicians despite its modest size. “I don’t have the largest church in St. Petersburg. It’s not as large as it once was. But I’m consistently someone that will speak up,” he said, according to Bay News 9.
Bethel Community Baptist Church Balances Politics and Nonprofit Status
The church streams its Sunday services online, expanding its reach beyond the sanctuary, and Sykes said politicians from across the spectrum visit regularly. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the church cannot endorse candidates. “To be a 501c 3, to be a nonprofit, you cannot be partisan,” Sykes said. “As badly as you may want to be, you can’t be partisan. You have to give equal opportunity. Think about that. Equal rights. Isn’t that a concept.”
Sykes said the church’s political engagement dates back more than a century, reversing an earlier tradition of separation. “Unfortunately, church, especially Black church, for a long period of time, felt that you should not mix the two,” he said. “But we found out from bitter experience that that’s not advisable. And if you will, most of the leading civil rights advocates and people out front were people in ministry.”
Souls to the Polls Drives Voters to the Ballot Box
Bethel and other Black churches support the Souls to the Polls movement, providing transportation during early voting and on Election Day. “We know we’re not the largest minority,” Sykes said. “But we still represent a powerful group of people who can impact elections.” He added that even if Black voters cannot impose their will by sheer numbers, they have enough people to impact candidates who need them to win.
Frances Cato, 73, who works with the Urban League on voting initiatives, said the message starts in church. “The church is the foundation of our people,” she said. “And they come to church every Sunday, and they need to be able to understand the process of voting. So, I believe the churches play a very important role in educating people how to vote.” Pamphlets and voter guides sit in the entryway at Bethel, and Sykes advises members to evaluate candidates independently. “Listen to them. Eat the meat, spit out the bones,” he said.
Black Voter Turnout Holds at 70 Percent in Bay Area Counties
Data from Pinellas and Hillsborough counties shows more than 199,000 Black voters were registered in the 2020 primaries, with a little more than 53,000 voting, according to Bay News 9. In the 2024 general election, Black voter turnout remained at about 70 percent, matching 2020 levels despite a drop in primary participation.
Marin City’s November 3 Election Tests Black Political Representation
While Bay News 9 reported on church-led voter mobilization in Florida, localnewsmatters.org covered a specific district election in California where all 10 candidates running for the Marin City Community Services District board are Black. Voters in the unincorporated community north of Sausalito will decide Nov. 3 who represents the area, the outlet reported.
Marin County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters, whose district includes Marin City, said the crowded field signals engagement. “This election is a big deal,” she said. “They haven’t had this many candidates running in a very long time, so that’s a positive sign.”
Candidates participated in a debate at First Missionary Baptist Church earlier this month and focused on gentrification, displacement and cultural identity. Eboni McKinley, a 48-year resident, warned that without preservation, “In years to come, people won’t even know that people of color have ever lived here.” She said restoring history matters: “Having a place where our history is restored is very important to me.” Capri Price, a mother, said she wants her children to learn Black culture locally rather than traveling to Sausalito, noting that Latino, white and Asian neighbors also need a sense of belonging. “I feel like they feel like they don’t have a place here, and that’s another problem,” she said.
Economic Concerns Drive Voter Priorities
In St. Petersburg, Pastor Louis Murphy said voters are focused on affordability. “I believe they’re gonna be surprised that there’s gonna be a great turnout from the African American community because people are really hurting,” he said. “The people that are sitting in the congregations, they need houses, they need to be able to afford groceries. They need to be able to afford gas. They want to send their children to higher education.”
Young voter Adyana Rankin said she evaluates candidates based on community engagement, citing food deserts and rising costs as key issues. “For me, it really comes down to how they interact with the community and understanding,” she said. Murphy added that economic struggles are a reminder of persistent obstacles. “We thought we were making some real progress again. But we see that this thing is on the rise and it’s real,” he said.
The Marin City election is scheduled for Nov. 3.