The Election is Over: The Work Goes On 

After months of rallies, debates, phone calls, canvassing, conversations, and enough TV ads to last multiple lifetimes, Election Day has come and gone. The people have spoken. Tens of millions of Americans cast ballots in the 2026 midterm elections for hundreds of public offices across the country. And the United Church of Christ was faithfully present throughout the entire time. 

The UCC Washington, D.C. Office thanks everyone who served as a poll chaplain, helped neighbors register to vote, or simply showed up to cast a ballot. Thank you for taking part in our democracy and for voting with love.  

Congress is Changing, But Our Mission Is Not 

In January, the new Congress will convene, bringing new members, new leadership, and new opportunities and challenges for faithful advocacy. Decisions made on Capitol Hill will shape whether families can afford health care, whether children have enough to eat, whether our neighbors can live free from discrimination, and whether our democracy remains accessible and accountable to all. 

This election also produced several historic firsts. Voters elected the first Muslim senator, the first Native American woman senator, and the first openly gay man to the Senate. At the state level, voters elected the nation’s first Black woman governor and its first Native American woman governor. As a denomination proud of its own historic firsts and committed to diversity and equity in all forms, we celebrate these milestones. 

Whatever the partisan makeup of the new Congress, the United Church of Christ will keep advocating for policies that reflect our commitment to justice, compassion, and the common good. Our work will continue to uplift the voice of the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, with the same steady drumbeat that marked our work in the outgoing Congress and will carry on through every Congress to come. 

What Comes Next for the UCC Washington D.C. Office?  

In the weeks ahead, our office will assess the implications of the election, identify opportunities to advance our legislative priorities, and prepare to engage both returning and newly elected members of Congress. We will continue building relationships across the political spectrum wherever possible and remind our elected officials of their profound responsibility to protect the dignity and well-being of every person. 

For the United Church of Christ, our work has never depended upon which political party controls Congress. Elections change who holds power, but they do not change our responsibility to hold those in power to account. Our commitment to voting rights and democracy, racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive freedom, disability justice, economic justice, immigrant rights, environmental justice, and the dignity of every human being does not shift because a new party leads on Capitol Hill. 

Continuing to Build the Beloved Community  

The prophet Micah reminds us of what God requires of us: “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We call upon you to continue engaging in the hard work of justice. Continue to advocate and build relationships with elected leaders in your state and local community, especially newly elected policymakers. 

Just as important are the relationships closest to home: in our neighborhoods, churches, families, and communities. UCC General Minister and President Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson recently reflected on why building and sustaining relationships matters after the election: 

“Beyond the counting of the votes, the relationships needed for the journey will require having hard conversations with the people we care about. After the election ‘we the people’ will be required to build relationships in the church, across the aisles that are themselves divisions among us today. The people united will never be defeated.” 

Above all, remember that real change doesn’t happen in one election. It is the result of years of persistence, solidarity, relationship building, and advocacy.  

Through the Justice and Peace Action Network, you can continue putting your faith into action by raising your voice on the issues that matter most to our communities. Whether you are celebrating Tuesday’s results, disappointed by them, or still waiting for the final votes to be counted, there is a place for you in the work ahead. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rushad Thomas (he/him) is the Domestic Policy Advocate at the United Church of Christ Office of Public Policy & Advocacy