Top photo caption: A person drops off an election ballot at a drive-through ballot drop box during the California primary election in San Diego June 2, 2026. Ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement Oct. 14 reminding the faithful that “For citizens in a representative democracy such as our own, participation in public life—including voting—is both a right and a responsibility.” OSV News photo/Mike Blake, Reuters
By OSV News staff, OSV News
WASHINGTON OSV News – Ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement Oct. 14 reminding the faithful that “For citizens in a representative democracy such as our own, participation in public life – including voting – is both a right and a responsibility.”
“In a time of deep political division, the temptation is to be discouraged and to not participate in the election process. But discouragement is not a Christian virtue,” Archbishop Coakley of Oklahoma City said.
The midterm elections will determine the balance of power in Congress, as well as governors’ mansions and state legislatures across the country.
Archbishop Coakley said that as Catholics exercise their civic duty, “it is important to ensure that citizens not face unnecessary delays or complications in registering or exercising their right to vote.”
“Together, we can contribute to the common good of our nation as faithful citizens by supporting free and fair elections,” he said.
He also asked Catholics “to put their faith before politics.”
“The Church’s contribution to the public life of a nation is not a political or partisan program; rather, it reflects our commitment to the dignity of every person, who is created in the image and likeness of God,” he said. “One of the great dangers of our moment is the belief that any criticism of ‘our party’ somehow strengthens our opponents. A well-formed conscience does not operate on those terms.”
“Therefore, I encourage all to judge candidates and elected officials by their actions, not merely their promises, and how those actions promote the common good,” he continued. “We must reject rhetoric that appeals to fear, resentment, or division, and listen instead, to the Gospel call to love God and all our neighbors.”
“May Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, bless our nation as we turn once more to elections, that we might respect the dignity of each person and promote the common good of all,” he said.
A recent Pew Research Center survey found that among all Catholics, President Donald Trump’s approval rating dropped from 47% at the beginning of his second term to 30% in October 2026. Among Hispanic Catholics, it dropped from 31% to 18%, and among white Catholics from 59% to 39% over the same period.
More broadly, the same survey found that registered voters are more likely to support Democratic candidates than Republican ones across most religious groups. Pew found that among Catholics, white Catholics and Hispanic Catholics were divided over their support for congressional Republicans or Democrats in the midterms.
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