3 Ways to Pray at the Polls

There is a movement being encouraged across the United States of America to encourage Christians to pray at polling sites in their communities. Here are three ways you can participate along with prayer points and a written prayer to help you:

1. Encourage and organize intercessors in your community to cover every polling site in prayer (physically, if possible). Secure a complete list of the polling places that are now or that will be open on Election Day. Ask others to “adopt” polling places near where they live to pray over. Give them the prayer points listed below.

2. Drive-by Prayer at Polling Sites: If you are unable to get enough volunteer intercessors, or lack time to organize, secure the list of polling places and drive by as many as you can, stopping to pray over them.

3. Pray as You Vote! While you are waiting in line, or even before/after you vote, take some time to pray at the polling site. Use the prayer points below or ask God to show you what He wants you to pray about!

What do we pray over the polling sites? Author Karen Hardin suggests a few ways:

1. For God’s presence to be very evident over the entire process – that kindness and civility are the only encounters people have with one another.2. For peace and safety for all who come to vote with no intimidation or threats to voters.3. That the in-person voting process will not be hindered, threatened, or closed down.4. For enough volunteers to man every polling place so that each is able to be open on Election Day.5. For all checks and balances to be in place so that the integrity of voting is maintained.6. That there will be no malfunctioning of voting machines which have in the past changed the intended vote of the voter.7. That any corruption or theft of votes, whether in-person or mail-in, will be exposed quickly and stopped.8. That the process will be carried out with care and excellence so that election results will be clear and not drawn out for days or weeks.

Lord, we pray for those who will rise up in this hour to pray at our polling places. Lord, awaken your people to this need and to see that they can make a difference. You said that the effectual fervent prayer of righteous men and women avails much. As we go and pray at these locations, Lord, we release your power and your Presence for your will to be done as people vote in this election. Open the eyes of the blind.

Lord, we also pray for all Christians to register to vote and exercise their right to vote. 

Lord, stir them to action. We command complacency to go. Awaken your people to the need of this hour and the importance of using this right. Compel them, Lord, to take action and understand the need of this hour. Awaken your Church, Lord.

If you have never done anything like this, be encouraged that you can make a difference by stepping out of your comfort zone to pray in your area at these polling places. 

Some content adapted from an article by Karen Hardin on Intercessors for America’s website: https://ifapray.org/blog/polling-places-prayer-the-lords-strategy-for-election-2020/