On Primary Election day, Lutherans in south central Pennsylvania joined with veterans, faith leaders, legal professionals and other trusted community members to support the Project HALO pilot in a mission to help every voter feel safe, respected and confident when participating in one of our most important shared American traditions.

At polling places in York and and Cumberland counties, volunteers set up small celebration tents outside voting sites as part of the Project HALO pilot effort. These celebration station tents offered donuts, mini American flags, and a chance to take a patriotic selfie or ring a bell in celebration of Pennsylvania’s part in the America 250 commemoration after voting.

Trained volunteers also focused on accompaniment outside of the polls and served as witnesses, observing activity outside polling locations during voting hours. All volunteers were there to be visible, friendly, and reassuring members of the community celebrating their right to vote.

“I had a great time volunteering with the pilot effort,” said Daniella Garber, LAMPa Advocacy Fellow. “We were able to celebrate alongside many enthusiastic voters, including several first-time voters. Seeing people joyfully exercise their right to vote reminded me of how incredible our democratic process can be. Many children were especially drawn to the celebration tent, which brought back memories for me of learning about elections as a kid. It highlighted how important it is to pass on an appreciation for civic participation to younger generations.”

For many Lutherans involved, this work was an expression of their faith in action. The ELCA social statement on Faith and Civc Life: Seeking the Well-being of All affirms that “Only with appropriate attention to the political can we exercise neighbor love and serve neighbor justice to hold government accountable, oppose social oppression, seek various kinds of liberation, and work toward the common good. Political engagement in this sense is a means of channeling God’s love through civic participation.” This election-day presence was one example of that call lived out in real time.

“This is important to me because voting is a right that we should exercise as Americans,” said the Rev. Jennifer Hope-Tringali, who volunteered in Cumberland County. “What I love about the HALO Project is we’re here to celebrate people voting.  We’re nonpartisan. We’re excited that people are out voting. We also are here to accompany anyone who might need or want to be accompanied toward their place of of voting and also to witness … to be a calming presence and a cheerful presence, a joyful presence. This is also something that I feel compelled to do because of my faith — one way that I can exercise my vocation of being a child of God by engaging in a way that is that’s an expression of my faith.   I can have that civic engagement and celebrate being in a democracy where we have the right to vote, also knowing that this is something that is a privilege for us.”

Mindy Shively, a high school teacher and member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Abbottstown, also volunteered.

“Celebrating our right as citizens to vote directly aligns with encouraging my students to think critically and understand how our elected leaders impact them now and will continue to impact their lives in the future,” she said. “I’ve also never done anything like this before and I wanted to push myself to try something new. Civic engagement involves individual or group actions designed to identify and address public concerns, improve community life and participate in the democratic process. I understand my faith through the life of community with God and with one another so engaging in civic responsibilities like wrestling with policies and voting is woven deeply into the threads of how I understand my own faith.”

“As a faith leader, I feel like part of my calling is to be a presence for peace in my community,” said Deacon David Hope-Tringali. “With all of the rhetoric and violence that’s been around in politics lately I think being able to show up with these spaces and create a welcoming presence and advocate participate is one way I can help sow seeds of peace in the community.”

The initiative is supported by a broad coalition of leaders.  John E. Jones III, President of Dickinson College and retired Chief Judge of the U.S. Middle District of Pennsylvania (and a Lutheran) has joined the initiative as Senior Advisor for the effort. His involvement reflects Project HALO’s belief that support for free and fair elections is a nonpartisan issue.  The Rev. George Scott, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, Lutheran pastor, and adjunct professor at Messiah University, led Project HALO’s on-the-ground presence in south central Pennsylvania for the pilot.

LAMPa volunteers have engaged in election support for years — being trained to serve as official poll workers as well as observers, offering their buildings as polling sites when others were closing theirs.  A different twist on a “Love Anyway Feast” undertaken by Deacon Amy Kelly in a church parking lot next to a polling place in 2024 made LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale eager to explore the potential for the faith community’s role in Project HALO, particularly as divisive rhetoric and fear of political violence have been increasing.

In 2024, then-Vicar Kelly was serving at Van Kirk Lutheran Church in Beaver County, and had been awarded a mini-grant to host a Love Anyway Feast intended to promote dialogue and depolarization ahead of and after the November election.

“The church set up a fancy coffee bar and treats station outside the church to serve, connect, and unite the community until the polls closed,” Kelly said. “This space allowed people to talk about what they were passionate about – like dogs, health, and education, and they knew they would be heard and not demeaned for their opinions. It was a beautiful experience to watch people from all parts of the political spectrum be in community with each other. We left feeling hopeful that after such a divisive political season, we could come together and remember that we are all made in the image of God.”

When veterans groups and others seeking a nonpartisan way to support voting and confidence in elections approached with a vision to create a sort of “halo” of light and celebration at polling sites, DePasquale had that experience in mind. “It aligns with our teaching about discipleship in a democracy, and it certainly fits with our call and experience in showing welcome and hospitality.”

Those interested in supporting election celebration, accompaniment, and protection efforts in the future are invited to connect. Reach out to LAMPa at LAMPa@lutheranadvocacypa.org to learn more or get involved.

Want to learn more or be a part of our other elections support efforts, including serving as a poll worker, nonpartisan observer, or offering your facility as a polling site?  We can connect you with training and with others with experience. Drop us a note at LAMPa@lutheranadvocacypa.org.