Bishop William J. Barber II, Faith Leaders To Rally Against North Carolina Voting Bill

Civil rights leader the Rev. William J. Barber II joined faith leaders and activists in Raleigh Tuesday to speak out against House Bill 958, an election bill that would change several voting procedures in North Carolina.

The bill would reduce early voting during primaries, primary runoffs and special elections from 17 days to 10. It also includes changes involving election audits and voter registration. Republican lawmakers have argued the legislation would strengthen election administration and security, while Democrats and voting rights advocates have raised concerns about its potential impact on voters.

The Aug. 18 news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. outside the NC State Legislative Building at 16 W. Jones St. in Raleigh. Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach, will be joined by the Rev. Frank Dew of the NC Council of Churches, the Rev. Wayne Wilhelm of Shepherd’s Flock Baptist Church, Dr. Hanna Broome and other faith leaders and activists.

Barber has spent decades organizing around voting rights, poverty and economic justice. He gained national attention as the founder of the Moral Mondays movement, which began in NC in 2013 as a series of nonviolent protests challenging state policies involving voting rights, health care, wages and other issues affecting working-class communities.

Barber has said he has been arrested “almost 20 times” throughout his activism, including during Moral Monday demonstrations in 2013 and 2014. Most recently, Barber and other faith leaders were arrested Aug. 3 during a demonstration inside the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., where they were protesting voting legislation.

With 78 days until the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Tuesday’s news conference is also part of Repairers of the Breach’s 100 Days; 1,000 Marches to the Polls voter mobilization campaign.

The initiative calls for 1,000 marches across the country to encourage early voting and participation in the midterm elections. Organizers are asking people to sign up to lead a march in their state, including through churches, campuses and other community organizations.

Those who sign up will receive a toolkit with their state’s early voting dates, a nonviolent and nonpartisan march plan, voting rights guidance and outreach materials.