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Vote for Community: Last Days of Early Voting At Scarritt Bennett

Editor’s note: Early voting continues until October 29th. Come by to vote and meet the best poll workers around! For more coverage check out The Tennessean and WPLN.

As early voting comes to a close this week on October 29th and we look ahead to the general election November 3 when Americans across the country will gather to exercise their responsibility as citizens to choose representatives who will shape this evolving democratic experiment, we hope and we act.

We hope for understanding in the midst of deep divisions and we act by getting to know our neighbors.

We hope for healing in the midst of turmoil, and we endeavor to be a healing presence in our community.

We hope and act for a renewed sense of community in which we discover more deeply how to love our neighbors as ourselves, celebrating our differences while discovering unity across those lines of difference.

As we wrap up early voting at Scarritt Bennett Center, we thank our Executive Director Rev. Sondrea Tolbert and our Director of Sales and Development Jenean Davis for making the possibility of early voting at Scarritt Bennett a reality.

 “We welcome early voters at Scarritt Bennett because it aligns with our mission to create space where individuals and groups engage each other to create a more just world,” stated Tolbert. “Each day we endeavor to live into our ideals of women’s empowerment, transformative education, spiritual growth, and racial justice.  These ideals culminate and bring us closer and help us live out the kin-dom of God here on these 11 acres in mid-town Nashville.”

 “We are thrilled to be one of the new Early Voting sites for Davidson County,” said Jenean Davis who serves on the Davidson County Election Commission in addition to her work with Scarritt Bennett. “This has created an opportunity for Scarritt Bennett to have more visibility and awareness of the great work that we do, in the Nashville & Middle TN community.  Over 2,100 people have walked through the doors, and many have stated they love the easy parking, the beautiful grounds, great meeting space, and the welcoming staff.  In addition, some have gone to our dining hall to have lunch, if they voted between Tuesday and Friday from 11:30am – 1pm.  I invite you to stop by before Thursday, October 29 to cast your ballot at Scarritt Bennett Center in the Laskey Welcome Center.”

We thank Rev. Kelli X, our Director of Racial Justice Ministries who worked with Vanderbilt students to bring Dores to the Polls at Scarritt Bennett and worked with Mike Hodge who serves on the Scarritt Bennett board of directors, is a Scarritt College alum and longtime member of Edgehill United Methodist Church to organize a Souls to the Polls rally at Edgehill UMC with Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH) then vote at Scarritt Bennett. 

X stated, “Voting is the great equalizer of American society. Regardless of one’s race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, and beliefs, all eligible American citizens over the age of 18 have the constitutional right to cast a ballot to decide who is the best person to represent their interest in every level of government. Choosing not to vote is choosing to forfeit your democratic power.”  

“In ancient Babylon, the Hebrew people were in captivity and in exile”, shared Mike Hodge.  “The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed that God wanted the Hebrews to work for the good of that city, to raise families, to really participate in shaping the future of that city.   But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare (Jer 29:7).   In a democracy, the key way for us all to seek the welfare of the city…. and of our country, is by voting and paying attention to the actions of our elected leaders.  Early voting is essential to our elections, and I’m proud that Scarritt Bennett is a part of this.”

We thank the many dedicated poll workers who greeted the community with a radical welcome and kept the process smooth and efficient for everyone. Heidi Dixner served as the Election Officer for Scarritt’s polling station and said, “This is such a convenient location for people in mid-town Nashville and the Davidson County Election Commission is glad we were able to bring it online for elections this summer and now this set of elections. Scarritt is a beautiful, peaceful location and helps people feel at ease. Polling locations should be safe spaces, free of partisan politics, and Scarritt really delivers.”

Of course, there are a lot of politics surrounding each election that often generate rumors and misinformation. With her election commissioner lens, Davis stated, “It’s important that you review your ballot prior to submitting and ensure that it has the information you selected. Please review the review screen and your printed ballot before you place your ballot in the scanner.  If you should have any questions, or your ballot is not correct, alert a poll worker immediately, before the ballot is placed in the scanner.” 

If you can’t make it to early voting, check out these regular polling sites for election day, November 3.

Just like faith, democracy is not easy and often is messy. It is our willingness to stay in relationship with one another and work through the messiness that brings us closer and helps us grow deeper in our civic and spiritual lives. As the old saying goes, No mud, No lotus.

Regardless of the election outcomes it is the commitment to serving in community and loving our neighbors, sometimes better than we love ourselves, that carry us through the days of our lives.

Let us all grow closer through the messy process, not mind a little mud and live into hope through the actions we take, large and small, to make our communities better places for all of our neighbors.