U.S. bishops are urging Catholic voters to form their consciences through faith and Church teaching as the 2026 midterm elections approach.

Archbishop Alexander Sample, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ religious liberty committee, addressed voters in a video released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Oct. 26. The Archbishop of Portland, Oregon, told Catholics, “Start with your relationship with Jesus. Start with your faith.”

Archbishop William Lori, who previously served as vice president of the USCCB, also emphasized conscience formation as part of faithful citizenship. “The importance of a properly formed conscience cannot be overstated,” Lori said.

Bishop Shelton Fabre urged Catholics to keep discipleship at the center of their decisions. Other bishops encouraged Catholics to pray before the elections, including when considering ballot initiatives involving abortion and other issues.

The bishops’ guidance comes as the 2026 midterms have been described as a possible referendum on President Donald Trump’s second term. Decision Desk HQ, in a forecast dated Oct. 29, gave Democrats an 80% probability of winning the U.S. House and predicted likely Democratic victories in both the House and Senate.

The principles identified for Catholic discernment include the common good and the human dignity of every person.