The Reverend Al Sharpton urged congregants at The New Birth Baptist Church to take advantage of early voting. His sermon was part of a statewide campaign to bus African Americans from church to early voting sites.

Historically, black churches vote in groups on the Sunday before election day.

"What we are doing here is preserving what has always been done. The black church has been the cutting edge of voting and Civil Rights in the country," said Rev. Sharpton.

State lawmakers shortened the number of early voting days from 14 to eight this year. The decision has drawn the ire of church leaders who say lawmakers are trying to suppress minorities at the polls.

Early voting ends on Saturday, November 3.

"It is the place that people in Black America gather more consistently and in bigger numbers than anywhere else. So, it is only natural that in an election year if you want to turn people out you have to go where people are turned on," added Rev. Sharpton.

Bishop Victor Curry says what is being asked of congregants transcends politics.

"It's the political unpardonable sin to try to take away people's rights to vote. Purging people from the list who are not supposed to be purged. We went through that in 2000 and Florida was the laughing stock of the world," he said.

On Sunday afternoon, congregants boarded church buses to cast their ballots at early voting sites.

Early voting reopens Monday morning at 7 a.m.