Puget Sound Region · September 2, 2026
As leaders and people of many wisdom traditions of the Salish Sea region, we speak together — not for any party or candidate — but for the democratic process itself, and for the neighbors it exists to serve.
Earlier this year, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, we affirmed together that the cornerstone of this democracy is a foundational moral commitment to the dignity and rights of every human being. Elections are where that commitment becomes practice: the peaceful means by which a free people, in all its difference, decides its shared future without violence. Our traditions disagree about many things. On this we do not.
We therefore affirm:
Free. Every eligible citizen must be able to vote without intimidation, obstruction, or fear — regardless of party, belief, background, or neighborhood. The conscience of the voter is inviolable.
Fair. Elections must be administered impartially, under law, with rules known to all and applied equally to all. We are grateful for the election officials and volunteers — our neighbors — whose careful, transparent work makes this possible.
Safe. Voters, election workers, candidates, and officials must be free from violence, threat, and harassment. We reject political violence in every form and from every direction, and we reject the dehumanizing speech that prepares the way for it.
Honored. When the votes are counted and certified according to law, the result must be honored by winners and losers alike — and by all of us. Disputes belong in courts and lawful processes, not in intimidation. To honor an election is to honor one another.
And so we commit:
To teach and preach the moral foundations of self-government within our own communities, each in the language of our own tradition.
To pray for, thank, and stand with those who administer our elections.
To model, in our own speech and actions, the respect for neighbors and opponents that we ask of others.
To gather our communities in solidarity and public witness for peaceful, trusted elections.
To stand together — across every line of tradition, culture, and politics — if any of our neighbors are threatened for their participation in democratic life.
We do not ask our neighbors to vote one way or another. We ask them to vote, to keep faith with one another, and to remember what we affirmed at this nation’s 250th year: our interconnectedness is our strength, and the safety and rights of one community are linked to the freedom of all.
In faith, solidarity, and hope, we sign our names.
Stay tuned for a list of signatories!
If you are a leader, formal or informal, in a faith tradition, organization, or other community you are invited to sign your name in support of free, fair, safe, and honored elections – and this multifaith statement of solidarity.
Initiated at a gathering convened on September 2nd by Paths to Understanding, the Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement at Seattle University, the Jewish Community Relations Council, and the Faith Action Network.