Amish PAC Returns For 2018; Study Suggests Minimal Impact In Last Election
Will Amish vote in 2018? You might recall the Amish PAC which was created in 2016 to promote voting among Amish in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Lancaster Online reports that the Amish PAC has returned in 2018 to promote Amish getting to the polls for the midterm elections in November:
Two years after it aimed to “unlock the Amish vote” for Donald Trump, the Washington-based Amish PAC is relaunching its efforts just as a new study indicates it may have had little impact in 2016.
“Our nation and our way of life are still in mortal danger,” reads a fresh Amish PAC newspaper ad that urges “Plain Voters” to vote — and pray — for Republicans in the November midterms.
If they don’t, the ad says, Democrats could remove the president who the Amish helped elect, and who “has kept his promises to lower taxes, reduce over regulation and preserve our religious freedoms!”
As you may know the Amish are not especially inclined to participate in elections and are more apt to pray for leaders than to cast ballots for them. As to why Amish do not vote in great numbers, read more here.
Yet even though Amish don’t vote in general, the Amish are not monolithic in this practice and there have always been some who have voted:
“Amish church members have little interest or hope for reforming wider society,” said Steve Nolt, a senior scholar at the Young Center who also presented the study.
Still, he said there has always been a “persistent minority tradition of voting in some Amish families,” and by the late 1990s there were as many as 450 registered Amish voters in Lancaster County.
Those Amish who do register to vote do so overwhemingly as Republicans, to the tune of 90%. About 75% of Amish voters are men.
I was skeptical about the 2016 effort even though Amish had turned out in some numbers in 2004. I didn’t feel that even those Amish inclined to vote would be that enthusiastic given that Donald Trump was an unknown political quantity and didn’t seem to align with the family-values Christian persona which Bush more readily fit and which one would think would have some natural appeal for the Amish.
This is an article by Donald Kraybill and Kyle Kopko on the 2004 election which showed that efforts to get out the Amish to vote that year had some success.
Results from 2016
So did the Amish PAC make an impact in 2016? Kopko, a political science professor at Elizabethtown College, last week presented findings of research on Amish voting in the two elections.
The study compared Amish registrations and voters in Lancaster County in 2016 to the results from the 2004 election. Despite the big Amish population growth in the settlement over those 12 years, there were actually fewer registered and fewer actual Amish voters in 2016 than in 2004:
In fact, their research found that despite a nearly 50 percent increase in eligible voting-age Amish compared to 2004 — the previous time there was a major effort to get them to the polls — there were fewer numbers of Amish who both registered and turned out in 2016.
Out of 15,055 eligible Amish voters in Lancaster County, just 2,052 were registered and 1,019 turned out to vote on Election Day 2016, the study found.
That’s down from 10,350 eligible voters, 2,134 registered and 1,342 who turned out for President George W. Bush’s re-election.
This outcome aligns with what I heard at the time in Lancaster County as to Amish voting enthusiasm.
As Kopko notes, it’s hard to quantify exactly what impact the PAC had in 2016, though it probably wasn’t a negative one:
“Amish PAC certainly didn’t hurt, let’s put it that way,” Elizabethtown College political science professor Kyle Kopko said during a presentation of the study’s findings this week. “But if they had not been involved … maybe members of the community would’ve been so put off by something that Donald Trump said that they might not have gone to the polls. We don’t know. That’s the big question we just can’t answer.”
Will Amish vote in 2018?
In 2016 the Amish PAC spent $140,000 on various ads targeted to the Plain communities in Holmes County, Ohio and Lancaster County. This time around they’ve spent about $50,000.
To reach the Amish this time around, the group has taken out ads in Lancaster Farming magazine and are putting up billboards in Lancaster County.
Will the efforts this time have an impact? Ben King, who was raised Amish in the area and is driving the local efforts to get Amish voting, responded to the findings of the study showing poor results last time around. His ambitions seem to be aligned more with the long game, than on the impact in any individual election:
“I’m not really discouraged by it,” King said of the Elizabethtown College findings. “It will be something that will have to be continued, an ongoing process of changing the culture and the mindsets.”
Hat tip to Ed for alerting me to this report.
Amish Voting
Wow, I’ve heard it all now. An Amish political action committee. In my view, if the Amish are going to start voting now, then they might as well go all the way and modernize themselves with cars, electricity, and everything else. That is one of the main tenants that separated the Amish from the rest of the world. That’s going to be the downfall of the Amish if they start voting. The next we’ll hear I suspect, will be an Amish man running for president. The corruption among polticians, knows no bounds these days.
I don’t expect Amish will start voting in large numbers anytime soon and am skeptical that the PAC will change Amish voting trends long term, but looking out over decades, who knows…it’s hard to predict how, if and when change occurs and things usually go gradually rather than sudden and extreme change. It sounds like that is what Ben King has in mind.
Amish Voting
Yeah, I expect you’re right Eric. I was born and raised in the Schwartzentruber Amish in the Ashland, Oh community, back in the 1950’s and 60’s, and I know those Amish would never vote. They wouldn’t even let my dad register his dairy cows. lol
Ha John that’s funny, well at least he tried 🙂
Yea I don’t think I’ve ever heard much to suggest Swartzentruber Amish vote. But I’m always willing and ready to be surprised.
Amish Voting
Hey Eric, off topic a little bit, but are you familier with Holmes Co. area such as Mt. Hope. My Grandfather owned Keim Lumber co. their in Mt Hope. I think his son Atlee took it over later, and then he passed it on to his son Leander Keim. I don’t know who owns it now or if it’s even there anymore.
Hey John, I have spent a good bit of time in Holmes County, plan to visit again this autumn actually. Keim Lumber as I know it is now located in the Charm area – don’t know the company history but maybe it moved at some point? Interesting that you have family ties to it. I’m guessing you are not living in the area any longer?
Amish Voting
Nope, the Keim Lumber in Charm is owned by a different keim family. My grandfather’s lumber co. in Mt. Hope was on the otherside of the street from the auction barn. It’s probably not there anymore. My parents were both born and raised in the Mt. Hope area. I haven’t been back there in years.
Keim Lumber
Ah I see, did not know there was another one. Is it possible there is a connection between the two? I found this on the Keim Lumber (Charm) website, with a few mentions of some sort of operation in Mt. Hope:
http://www.keimlumber.com/history
In 1918 one of the company’s first owners, John Keim, returned from Defiance Country and moved 1-1/2 miles northwest of Charm. The Keim family lived there five years, then in 1923 they moved again, to the Bowman Harness Shop acreage, three miles north of Bunker Hill. Here the Keim’s operated a lumber supply, with both a saw mill and planing mill.
During the beginning of the Depression era, John was seeking a new location to set up a mill. When he finally secured land at the south edge of Mt Hope, construction was soon underway. By 1932, the Depression had left Moses Keim substantially out of work, and making a living from lumber work looked bleak. His brother John needed help and wanted to give employment to Moses, so he offered him the opportunity to set up the shop machinery. When Moses accepted the offer, he sold his Charm acreage (in 1932), including the mill and home, to his brother Albert.
Moses began with doing concrete work for the Mt Hope building, then set up machinery, line shafts, and steam engine. Supposedly, the last steam engine made by the Russel Company of Massillon was purchased by Keim at a reduced price of $250.00 from $1,700.00, and set up by Moses as a power unit.
At Charm, Al installed a feed grinder in the planing mill, and from this initial venture later built the feed mill at the south edge of the village. After a 1-1/2 year stay at Mt. Hope, Moses Keim again bought the Charm investment in 1934, and moved back to town. At this time, his son Roman took an interest in the company, and the business became known as M. J. Keim and Son. Slowly they saw their trade increase and prosper after the failing years of the Depression.
Amish Voting
My grandfather’s name was John Keim also. I think the two of them were distant cousins. If you happen to go through Mt. Hope in the near future, just ask anyone there, and they can give you the history of Keim Lumber that was in Mt. Hope. I still remember when I was like three or four years old, we went to visit my grandparents there in Mt. Hope and was walking around in the lumber mill by myself and I saw a coke cola bottle sitting there and it looked like it had cola in it still. I took a swig and it turned out to be motor oil. Yuck lol
Amish PAC
I agree Eric, But I also know the power of the Pen. The Amish didnt need any PAC to give orders of who how or why they needed to vote. They READ. With that they decided to get RID of the SAME OLD SAME OLD HEADLINES they’ve been FORCED to read over the decades. You can look at it this way, The Evolution joined ranks with a Revolution. No victims No unnecessary wars. Just the POWER of the Pen writing relatives worked lots better! Gooday! 😉
Amish society and voting - Amish PAC
I am a disabled Vietnam war veteran and I have never seen the Republican Party in such a terrible and criminal position. Also, I have been working with Amish families, providing taxi service for over 10 years. I find it amazing and pretty disgusting that ANYONE who calls themselves Christian can vote for and support a man who has no morals and no ethics–Donald Trump. He is on wife # 3 and has cheated on all three. He was in a hotel room with porn star Stormy Daniels while Melania, his 3rd wife, was home with the new baby! What kind of man does that? Answer: A man with no morals or ethics. Then, we have what he has admitted he said about grabbing women’s private parts! Trump University–a big fraud. During the 2016 campaign, Trump yelled that he would never settle with the over 150 students who filed a class-action lawsuit. Claimed he did nothing wrong. THEN, a couple of days after the election, he paid $26 MILLION to settle the suit! Count them–6 business bankruptcies, including the casino in Atlantic City, NJ. Let’s not forget that it was Trump who headed the effort to claim that Obama wasn’t an American. Obama was born in Hawaii to a woman who was an American citizen. Trump knew there was a valid birth certificate, but, as usual, he pushed a total falsehood. AND, look at the very long list of administration officials he has fired. The Mueller investigation will prove that Trump and his family colluded with Putin and Russian mobsters. Trump wanted to build a billion dollar Trump Hotel complex in Moscow. Remember, Trump recently praised Putin and disparaged our FBI and military officials! AND, Trump was a Draft-Dodger during the Vietnam war! His millionaire parents paid a doctor to say in writing that Donald was unfit for military service (4-F) due to “bone spurs” in his feet. THEN, Donald immediately went to college and played rough sports, like football! What Trump and his parents did was a federal crime! Bottom line: Donald Trump is the most dishonest and dangerous President in U.S. history! He violates parts of the 10 Commandments on a daily basis. So, again, why would anyone claiming to be a Christian vote for this man who is the essence of Evil? Just look what the German People did in the run-up to WW II with Hitler and you can see the same support for Trump: hatred and racism, scapegoating and massive lying. Hitler yelled, “I will make Germany great again!” Sound familiar? Just change one word.
TO: Bob the disabled Vet.
Just remember that King David was a Man After God’s Own Heart and he committed some very serious crimes as in murder. Not just any murder, he planned and executed a specific murder. God uses all of us. Especially us sinners. My motto is “But there for the Grace of God, Go I!!!!” Be very careful of the stones you throw. If you point a finger at me, there are three pointing back at you. The Bible also says that God controls the Governments of this world. We had to go through Obama to know just how bad things were and are. I firmly believe President Trump was elected as a God thing. God has a plan and his plan will prevail. It does not matter what us sinful humans do or think.
Amish Voting
Yep, as long as you can make humans fear something, there is nothing you can’t convince them to do. It’s called the pied piper theory.
Amish PAC
Gee, did your God produce Adolf Hitler and then allow 60 Million people to die in World War 2? Whatever happened to the benevolent God that cares about every human? But you can believe whatever you want. Is the Earth flat? Some people still think so. Is the Moon made out of blue cheese? Is lightning caused by an angry God? Personally, I like reality and Physics. The denial of science by the Amish is proof they are living outside of reality. Why won’t they drive, but will ride in the English devil machines, even on Sundays? Why do I see electric generators, usually more than one, at the majority of Amish homes? I once asked a bishop what was the difference between electricity off the pole and electricity from his generator. He gave me that look like “WHY did you have to ask me that?” If you love hypocrisy – OK. Just don’t expect me to buy it because I won’t.
I will take a flawed man as President of our country any day of the week, as long as he protects our liberty and the Constitution of the US. Obama and the Democrats want to lead our country into Socialism. I thank God every day that Donald Trump was elected President. The Amish I know don’t agree with Donald Trump’s lifestyle, but they also don’t agree with the policies of the Democrats and, unlike you, the Amish don’t judge others – they leave that to God.
reply to Sherri
So, “Sherri”, I would suggest that you get out your Bible and read everything that Jesus said. Bottom line: Jesus was a Socialist by the very definition! My guess is that you wouldn’t know Socialism if you tripped over it. I was stationed in Europe for 2 years–the European countries had universal healthcare–Everyone was covered. Canada has it, too. See, when a country decides to put people first and money / profit second, you have a much healthier country. The U.S. is the ONLY civilized country without universal healthcare. Why is that? BECAUSE Greedy money-grubbers like Trump and Company put Money First and human health way behind. Perhaps you fail to understand that “the love of money is the root of all Evil.” So I guess you think it is OK that the U.S. is way behind European countries and Canada when it comes to babies surviving birth. Ever check to see what the average cost of a tooth filling or an implant is? Do you think it is OK for dentists to charge $200 to fill a cavity? Implants cost 1,000’s of dollars! I know an Amishman who had 3 open heart surgeries–total cost–over 300,000 dollars! Where is he going to get that much money to pay for those operations? OH, I see–you think capitalism–hospitals, doctors / dentists putting money ahead of people is OK. Do you also think that the 5 Waltons, who own Walmart and have over $150 BILLION in their pockets from treating workers like dirt, is OK? Do you? I have talked to Walmart workers all over and (1) they never get a 40 hour week and (2) get pay barely over minimum wage! DO the 5 Waltons really need over $150 BILLION? Do they? See, you have bought into the Ratpublican – Fox fake snooze B.S. that the millionaires and Billionaires want you to believe. Obamacare wasn’t / isn’t universal healthcare, but it was a positive move in that direction. Of course, like so many air-head lemmings, you fail to see how important universal healthcare is to our society. Bottom line: DO YOU believe that every working person deserves to be paid a living wage? DO YOU? Are you aware that some really FAR-RIGHT-wingers in the (R)at Party want to eliminate the federal minimum wage? DO YOU? Is that OK with you? So, wake-up, stop taking the FOX / Trumputin lemon-aide and look at the starving children and the millions who lost their homes due to the “Wall Street melt-down” that happened–No coincidence–at the end of George Dumya Bush’s 8 years. People who voted for Trump in 2016 would have voted for Hitler in the 1930’s. Same B.S., different time. AND, Socialism is NOT Communism! Go to a library and get educated! IF you are a woman, do you think Trump treats women like human beings or toys for him to play with? What did the skunk say about grabbing women’s private parts? Was that OK with you? Cheating on all 3 wives? OK with you? WHY aren’t you holding this man accountable for his incredibly sinful and disgusting behavior? DO you think he’s some kind of movie star OR WHAT???
Amish Voting
Bob, everything you’re saying is 100% correct. They don’t have a clue what socialism is. The Amish don’t realize they practice socialism daily as part of their lives. Helping other people in need is what socialism is all about. Socialism has been demonized by the capitalists for centuries. If they really believe there is a Jesus, then they need to realize that he is weeping right now that they are letting themselves being conned by one of the biggest conmen this country has ever known. I grew up Amish, so I know how they operate, BTW.
Reply to John
Your comments prove that you are a well-educated citizen and you see through the smoke-screen of lies that come out of T-Rump’s mouth every few seconds. Some of his admin. officials have called him “an idiot” and “a moron.” I have a few other words but won’t use them here. Yes, Trump is the worst and most dangerous President in U.S. history. Anyone, but especially women, who can’t see that are living in another world. And, you are SO right about the Amish and socialism. They are socialists by definition and don’t know it. I did taxi work for an Amish school and so many of the children were brilliant. BUT, their education is cancelled at the end of the 8th grade. One brilliant boy was in tears when he told me he wanted to be a vet. Some years later, his family went over the fence. I hope he does become a vet. Living in the past doesn’t work. All of the cell phones and electric generators I see prove it. At least the Mennonites drive and get power off the pole. They are being a lot more practical about reality.
Bob,
Bob, you come across unhinged and full of hate. The beauty of the Amish is that when they help other Amish in need, it’s their whole community that helps. They generally don’t have other Amish with their hands out taking whatever hand outs they can receive. The Amish work hard and when they help other’s, it’s religion-based. The Democrat’s have turned into far-left, God-less anarchists.
President Trump is a sinful man, but do you not think that Hillary Clinton isn’t sinful or her husband, Bill?
Where are these starving children that you are referring to? I live in an inner-city and I know that the children here get free meals before school, during school, and after school. I know that they get plenty of food assistance and eat better than I do. Have you looked in the grocery cart of someone on food stamps lately? Have you gone to Walmart to see the flat-screen TV’s they buy and don’t forget to stop at the nail salon to see the mother’s getting their nails done. I know people on food stamps and welfare, I see what goes on. Do you live in a welfare state like CT, I do. We are taxed to the hilt to pay for people who refuse to work even when there are jobs available. I grew up very poor, I worked minimum wage jobs and moved up the ladder. My life was far from easy. I lived in a one-parent household with no support from the govt or my father. Life is never going to be fair for everyone and sometimes people have to struggle. But because we are a Capitalist society, they can make something of themselves… handouts to the extent that they are given now creates lack of incentive to do anything with your life.
If you love the way Europe is, you can always move there. I’m sure that they would love to have you.
Quite frankly, you seem to just want to be on this site to trash our President and the Amish. There is no need to respond to me because I won’t write back and engage with someone as hateful as yourself.
Amish Voting
Well Sherri, maybe you are the hateful one. You are judging Bob, and in the same breath, you claim god is the only one that has the right to judge. So which is it? I grew up Amish back in the 50’s and 60’s and let me tell you, they practice socialism on a daily basis. They are always community oriented, by helping each other out in times of need. That is exactly what socialism is. The Amish also believe that the flag is a false idol and the children are forbidden to say the pledge of allegiance in school. At least back in the day when I was going to school they were.
If you want to get conned by the conman-in-chief trump, that is your perogative, just know when we become an authoritative country, and mind you, he has been an authoritative person all his life, you can thank yourself for being part of it.
Thanks for bringing to my attention that I was being very judgmental and hypocritical. I will pray on that and try to do better.
That being said, when I asked my Amish friend (Old Order from PA) about the Amish and Socialism. He stated that what they do is not community-based, but religion-based. Since my friend is a good, hard-working, God-loving man who I trust implicitly, I will take his word for it.
And yes, it is my prerogative (not perogative), to support President Trump and I happily do so daily.
Sherri
I wonder if Bob knows WHY so many FLEE to AMERICA beings its NOT the grandiose Socialist country the Amish left behind in European soil?
Amish Voting
The Amish came to this country because they were being persecuted by another religion in Europe, not your scary socialism. If being kind and helping your neighbor is horrifying to you, by all means, don’t participate in our socialism.
To Sherri
Fine. You can’t figure out who (millionaires and billionaires) moved the good-paying jobs to Mexico, China, India and other 3rd world countries, so what you see in cities is poor people who you will call “welfare cheaters.” Have you even bothered to talk to Walmart employees about their hours and pay? SO, when I tell the Truth, you call it hate. That figures because that is what the Republicans / Trump want you to believe. I doubt you will wake up even as the Germans didn’t—until it was too late. IF you can’t see what a super dangerous ego-maniac Trump is, than you are totally lost in the Republican jungle of snakes, smoke and criminal liars. So sad. Hillary never cheated on her husband! Why would you blame her for what her husband did? Bottom line: if you don’t support a country where people are treated as human beings FIRST and not dirt under millionaires and billionaires feet, then YOU are part of the problem, not the solution. Look up the term PLUTOCRACY and you will see where Trump and the Republican Party are taking our beloved country. Wake up! By not voting for honest politicians, the Amish are helping the Plutocrats take over our country. Down the road, the Amish will suffer for not being involved citizens in a democracy.
I’ve heard of “low information” voters before, but the Amish would really take the cake. The idea that the Amish should get out and vote because “Democrats could remove the president who the Amish helped elect” is hilarious on its face, but the fact that an Amish PAC exists makes me sad. The thing I envy most about the Amish is their being separate from these “worldly” concerns. I would hate to see them turned into a voting bloc, and I don’t suspect it will happen based on those numbers, but these days, who knows?
The Amish have been of interest as a voting bloc since at least 2004. No doubt the fact that they are most heavily settled in two of the most important and often closely-contested swing states, and that those who do vote, vote heavily for one party, has made them appear attractive as a potential untapped source of votes, their predilection against voting notwithstanding. The paper I linked above on 2004 is pretty interesting in that regard.
Not all Amish would be considered "low information" voters
I am friends with quite a few Old Order Amish families in Pennsylvania. I know that many may be considered “low information” voters, but there are many who aren’t (they do read newspapers and they do speak with outsiders). I have had some great political discussions with my Amish friends. In fact, some Amish are more astute with regards to their political views than some “English” people that I know.
Amish Buggies
Absolutely agree.
Sherri, glad you added this comment. Also agree.
Amish voting
I became aware of political Amish in July, 2016. I was attending the Perry County (South Central PA) Amish School Benefit Auction and watching six Amish men grilling chicken. They started chatting and one commented about the upcoming election being a “mess”. Caught off guard I lost the opportunity to dig deeper. During the short conversation they expressed a lack of trust for one candidate.
During the 2016 Fall I collected photos of Amish attending four campaign rallies. Pittsburgh, Hershey, Lancaster and Mechanicsburg. The Mechanicsburg event was attended by two vans from nearby Perry County (men, women and boys) and one group whose clothing I did not recognize but had a gut feeling they were from the Shippensburg/Western Cumberland county area. The two groups were not together. The Hershey attendees were certainly from Lebanon County.
On election day I hit the road early to visit Synder and Union counties. It’s my usual market day for those areas. Driving by a few polling places I noticed a buggy or two still hitched. The buggies were grey and black toppers. I noticed no white or yellow buggies at polling places. White is commonly seen in the area but yellow is never seen. This year I plan on driving around the Big Valley to get some idea of what happens there. (BTW, Fall Tuesdays are popular wedding dates for this area.)
I’ve also been told/read that Amish have held elected positions in townships in Union and Centre counties dating back as far as 15 years.
Jerry very interesting comment and in particular the last bits. I have not heard of Amish in elected political positions in modern times (fathers serving on the Amish parochial school board would be about the extent of it). But if that’s the case would be keen to know more. Also on the Big Valley area – you mean you are planning to be there on election day?
Elected office
The two tidbits of Amish being elected to local township supervisor positions happened in Union and Centre Counties. The Union county story was in a newspaper article in the Daily Item and the Centre County event was from “Marty” who lives in Aaronsburg. Both events were the results of wanting a voice on zoning issues. The story went that one man resigned shortly after a vote that went in his favor on the zoning issue. As time allows I will dig up the article. When I was researching, I also recall a similar event in Ohio.
Jerry very interesting comment and in particular the last bits. I have not heard of Amish in elected political positions in modern times (fathers serving on the Amish parochial school board would be about the extent of it). But if that’s the case would be keen to know more. Also on the Big Valley area – you mean you are planning to be there on election day?
Election Day 2018
Greetings,
Yes, I’m going to start in the Milroy area and work my way down through Reedsville, Barrville, Bellville, Allensville and Sharpsville. I plan on Route 522 down and zig zag back roads on the way back. I’ll map the polling spots and drop in and chat to poll workers. I’m hoping to learn a bit more about the Big Valley. Would you be interested in a short report of what I find?
I also will look through my pics to show Amish at political rallies when time permits.
Amish Voting
I have been told that the Amish in our area do not vote. I sure wish they would. Any encouragement that you can give them to vote would be greatly appreciated. Change comes gradually to an Amish community so I sure hope it will change.
On another note
The Amish that I know thought it was very nice that the republicans gave them rides to the polls, however, they still voted their conscious which didn’t sound like they voted for Trump.
Funny, the Amish I know either won’t vote at all, ever, and if they do, they would never vote Democrat, ever. Go sit at a breakfast counter in Bird-in-Hand or Gap, PA and converse with some there. An Amish voting Democrat would be an anomaly. When they are political, they strongly lean Republican. What they care most about is their religious freedom being protected.
To Sherri
History proves that there is NO religious freedom in totalitarian dictatorships. The dictators see religion as an enemy and they do many things to squash religion. Or, they subvert the religious leaders to lie to the People about how great the dictator is. Hitler did it.
Amish Voting
That’s right Bob. If you remember Karl Rove, “AKA Turdblossom” who was GWB’s campaign mgr., said after the 2004 election, and I’m paraphrasing, we use the religious people just to get their votes, because they’re the easiest to manipulate. That is so true.