Boston's black churches plan voter registration drive

By Brian R. Ballou, Globe Staff

Pastors and other leaders of Boston's black churches plan to use their sermons this Sunday to urge congregations to register to vote before the deadline for the general election on Wednesday.

Clergy members in the Boston Ten-Point Coalition discussed the voter registration drive today at their monthly meeting at the Charles Street AME Church in Roxbury. The effort, which will include the Black Ministerial Alliance, will cover approximately 140 churches primarily in Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan.

"This election is important because it's history making," said Reverend Jeffrey Brown, executive director of the Ten-Point Coalition. "If the Republicans win, it would mark the first woman elected vice president, and if the Democrats win, the country would have its first African-American president."

During Sunday sermons, reverends, ministers, and other clergy will instruct congregations to sign up to vote after the service. A designated member of the church will have voter registration forms on hand and will help congregants fill out the forms, which will be hand delivered to City Hall.

Brown said the aim of the drive is to get more people involved in the democratic process. Churches with nonprofit status are prohibited from endorsing political candidates.

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