Internet Culture

The Church of Universal Suffrage is a legally-recognized religion where voting is most sacred

The church was inspired by a Reddit discussion about how states are stifling vote-by-mail efforts.

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Matt Silverman

2 girls 1 podcast church suffrage
(Licensed)

Election Day in the U.S. is less than 100 days away, and with the coronavirus still raging, misinformation spreading, and voter suppression tactics growing more insidious, many worry that accessing polls will be a unique challenge in November.

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That’s why Tim Jacobs founded the Church of Universal Suffrage, a legally recognized religion that hosts “weekly meditation on the nature of voter suppression” and observes every voting day in the U.S. as a religious holiday, which—legally speaking—affords church members some handy privileges, like the right to take the day off from work.

The church was inspired by a Reddit discussion about how several states are stifling vote-by-mail efforts. Since then, the non-profit organization has spread to all 50 states and many countries around the world, with all of its holy worship done online through community and voter advocacy efforts.

This week on 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, Alli and Jen talk to Jacobs about how easy it is to create a real religion in the U.S., why we don’t celebrate voting enough, and how you can get involved to ensure your friends, neighbors, and community have access to the vote.

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Listen to episode 141 of #2G1P here:

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The Daily Dot