Our democracy depends on free and fair elections. Faith communities play a critical role in promoting them.
Interfaith America’s Faith in Elections Playbook equips faith-based and civic groups with accessible, actionable resources for constructive engagement with elections. The playbook outlines ways faith and community leaders can join the critical work of democracy-building across America. With this curated information, organizations can identify engagement opportunities that best align with their communities’ needs, interests, and skills.
Why Now?
Throughout American history, civic engagement from religious leaders has been crucial to building a more perfect union. When our country is in need, people of faith mobilize to serve their communities. Whether responding to national disasters, helping refugees resettle, or tackling entrenched problems like poverty, addiction, and racial injustice, faith communities are often on the front lines.
As our election system faces unprecedented challenges in 2026, we are part of the growing cross-partisan movement to serve our country in the most fundamental way: by ensuring a smoothly-run election that earns the trust of the American people and promotes constructive democratic engagement. Religious institutions and everyday people of faith have the values, power, and skillset to play a pivotal role in this effort to protect every valid vote.
How can we help Americans feel confident in elections? And when they don’t, how can we ensure that Americans still engage with our election systems in a democratic, constructive, and pluralistic, and non-violent way?
The freedoms that Americans enjoy — including religious freedom — rest on our ability to exercise healthy self-governance. Our constitutional form of government depends upon millions of Americans stepping up to ensure that every eligible American is able to exercise their right to vote. It is important that our elections are administered in a way that earns the trust of the people. Regardless of the candidates we support or the ideologies that shape us, as Americans we share a belief in the importance of free and fair elections.
If you are ready and able to serve our democracy in its hour of need, we are ready to show you how. The Faith in Elections Playbook can help your organization find its own way to promote constructive engagement with the 2026 election.
Our country is deeply divided. Healing will require coming together across differences and working to protect the rights of all Americans — even those with whom we have political or policy disagreements. Understanding our polarized environment and committing to connection is key to supporting a free, fair, and peaceful 2026 election.
There are few issues that showcase our country’s polarization as clearly as our elections. Lack of trust in the outcome of recent elections led some to violence, and has pushed countless others into an “us versus them” mentality. Political violence has increased in recent years as Americans are finding it more difficult to live together peacefully. As trust erodes and divisions deepen, it is harder to protect the values that hold our country together, such as religious pluralism.
There is a genuine, foundational power in the building of relationships and establishing trust across diverse lines, so much so, that our individual development and community building efforts depend and rely upon these strong relationships. Indeed, they are the fabric that make American society thrive and flourish. Everything we do moves at the speed of trust and relationship.
– Andrew Hanauer, One America Movement
- Religious institutions can be a bulwark against polarization. People with diverse political beliefs, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds worship together in churches, synagogues, mosques, gurdwaras, and temples every day. Faith communities can lead the way by living and serving together despite our different beliefs.
- There are three main ways that faith-based organizations and congregations can help to reduce polarization.
- Holding deep listening sessions and dialogue across differences within their own organizations and faith communities.
- Hosting interfaith conversations that bring people together across differences to identify shared values and a shared vision for improving their communities.
- Conducting acts of service (including the activities contained in the Playbook) as an interfaith coalition or alongside groups with differing political perspectives.
If you are interested in hosting deep listening conversations and dialogue across difference, the following Interfaith America resources provide opportunities for learning bridgebuilding and pluralism theory and practice.
We believe that democracy is a deeply held Hindu value – it allows each individual to pursue their choices and celebrates the diversity in our shared humanity.
– Ria Chakrabarty, Hindus for Human Rights
There are many organizations focused on bridging divides and overcoming polarization. Projects include:
- Living Room Conversations provides scripts and frameworks for dialogues across a variety of differences and on a multitude of topics, including elections.
- Constructive Dialogue Institute is a 501(c)(3) that provides lessons and online training on how to lead conversations where people with different perspectives try to understand each other — without giving up their own beliefs — in order to work together.
- One America Movement’s work to combat toxic polarization.
- Braver Angels has multiple options for engagement, including their Trustworthy Elections Campaign, which will organize conversations in which citizens who are concerned with fraud, voter suppression, or both meet on equal terms in mixed groups to clarify differences and seek common ground.
- “Civilize It” is a campaign by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to promote civility in political engagement.
Faith leaders and religious organizations have the opportunity to make accurate information about our elections available to our community members. From registering to vote to tracking their ballots to finding their poll location, voters need to know where and how to cast their vote. Information coming from trusted members of the community can go a long way to help voters navigate a potentially confusing situation. This year, there may be last-minute legislation and litigation that change rules and processes, so it is important that voters are given up-to-date information.
Knowing your vote means knowing the logistics of voting, knowing what’s on your ballot, knowing about the issues that matter to you, and knowing how to find reliable sources of information — and combat unreliable ones.
– Mormon Women for Ethical Government
- Misinformation, disinformation, and even just plain confusing information can serve as a barrier to voting.
- Misinformation is false or inaccurate information.
- Disinformation is false information which is deliberately intended to mislead
- Americans in different areas of the country have different options on where and how to vote. Voting rules can change between elections, making it difficult for everyday people to keep track.
- Some voters, especially voters from historically marginalized groups, have been targeted and purposefully misled with false – and even intimidating – information about voting. Faith-based organizations can counter false information by connecting their members and audiences with accurate information about the voting process.
- Religious organizations are hubs of information and organizing within their specific communities. They provide clear information on upcoming events, holidays, and opportunities to both provide and receive help. This communication infrastructure can be used to provide accurate nonpartisan information on voting and elections.
- Organizations that serve historically marginalized communities have been the targets of voter suppression and campaigns of false information. Faith communities have an important role to play in ensuring that these communities have access to up-to-date, accurate information.
- One of the most important ways to ensure that your members have accurate information regarding voting is to share trustworthy information on your website and in communications. Add a link to your local or state election administration’s website on your own so that people know where to go for correct information. Be certain to link to the government source for information – as opposed to static text on your own site – as this information may change over time.
- You can send election-related information to your organization or congregation multiple times during the leadup to the election to ensure that they have accurate information about how they can check their registration, vote, and even track their mail-in ballots.
- Some of the most helpful pieces of information for voters include:
- How to register to vote and check registration status.
- Options for voting, such as early voting, mail-in voting, or dropping off their ballot on Election Day.
- The dates, times, and locations for early voting.
- The date, times, and locations for voting on Election Day.
- What types of identification, if any, may be required in your county and state.
- Checking the status of mail-in ballots that have been requested or the status of mail-in ballots that voters have returned.
- Where to call if you are having issues casting your vote.
- It is legal for houses of worship, denominational organizations, and other 501(c)(3) entities to provide information about voting.
- It is important that any shared information about voting does not privilege one candidate over another. Information on voting must not show bias toward any one candidate – either in the message that you send or by limiting who to share this information with. All of your members should have the same access to this nonpartisan information.
- You can read more about how to ensure 501(c)3 compliance on the IRS website here.
- The National LGBTQ Task Force provides a Guide for Advocacy Activities in Faith Communities
- The League of Women Voters has created a special “Vote 411” website specifically for The Faith in Elections Playbook. It has information on where and how to vote, how to register, and important deadlines.
- The nonpartisan US Vote Foundation website can help voters find contact information for their local election office.
- Org outlines important deadlines related to the election and allows you to sign up to get reminders of upcoming deadlines.
- The League of Women Voters has a checklist to Make Your Plan to Vote.
- You can share the following phone numbers for voters to call if they are having problems with voting:
- 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
- 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español)
- 1-888-API-VOTE (Asian multilingual assistance)
- 1-844-YALLA-US (Arabic)
- You can partner with organizations to promote voting, such as:
- National Voter Registration Day
- Vote Early Day (partnership page here)
- Find a faith-based partner:
- Faiths United to Save Democracy has a comprehensive resource page with questions and answers related to voting.
Election Day is an opportunity to celebrate community and our freedoms as Americans. Faith leaders and secular peacekeepers can contribute to a safe, positive voting experience in two ways: by providing food and water and by serving as a peaceful presence. People should feel safe and comfortable as they prepare to cast their ballot. With increased tensions and even threats of violence in the leadup to our elections, religious leaders, community leaders, and lay people can play a positive role at polling locations by being a welcoming presence for voters.
Providing food and water
- During early voting and on Election Day, some polling locations face long lines. There are a number of reasons for this including voter enthusiasm, technical issues, inexperienced poll workers, and a lack of resources or polling locations.
- Especially in places with inclement weather, waiting in line can be an impediment.
- Bad experiences in long lines may cause some voters to have to step out of line during the election, which decreases their chances of choosing to vote in the next election. One study has shown increased turnout as a result of providing food and other outreach at polling locations.
- Voters may not think to bring water, a snack, and other items to keep themselves comfortable in case there is a long line at their polling location. In most states, volunteers are allowed to provide food and water at polling locations as long as they follow the regulations of the polling location.
- A multitude of faith traditions have some sort of scripture or other central belief around providing food for people who are hungry. Religious communities can take on the call to feed the hungry in a new way: providing food and water to people waiting in line to vote.
- Volunteers across the country are able to provide sustenance to people waiting in line, and there have been a number of innovative approaches that are streamlining the process:
- Pizza to the Polls has an app and online portal that allows people to report long lines at their polling locations. Once they verify the long lines, Pizza to the Polls orders pizza to be sent to that polling location.
‘It definitely made my voting experience better,’ says Vincent. ‘Our budget was tight before the pandemic and has definitely gotten worse since, so a free meal was a moment of extra happiness that day.’
- Check with your local election office to make sure that volunteers are allowed to provide food and/or water at the polls.
- Different precincts, counties, and states have different rules regarding providing food and water at polling locations. Check the rules in your county.
- If you want to help this effort but are unable to physically provide for your polling locations, you can become an official partner of Pizza to the Polls or fundraise to help them carry out their mission.
- Partnership opportunities include:
- Promoting @PizzatothePolls: Help spread the word by creating or sharing content across social media so people know they can report a line or promote a partnered event
- Feeding Hungry Folks: Donate snacks or beverages to be delivered to polling locations
- Raise Dough: Share their fundraising link with your supporters
- You can email partners@polls.pizza to explore a partnership.
- Partnership opportunities include:
When it comes to voting, the most important thing is keeping people in line. A simple bottle of water or snack can be what stops people from abandoning their right to vote… We know that voting is habit-forming, so a good experience at the polls is crucial to ensuring future participation.
- Here is a checklist to use as a guide for preparing to provide food and water at the polls.
- Be sure to check the Election Official Directory and contact your local elections office to find the rules about engaging in this activity. Some states, especially Georgia, Florida, and Arkansas, have laws against “line warming” (laws that prohibit giving food or water to voters waiting in line).
Serving as a peaceful and welcoming presence at a polling location: poll chaplains and peacekeepers
- While voting can be a celebration of exercising our rights and having a voice in building our free society, the environment at polling locations can sometimes be intense and uncertain.
- Elections can be a time of stress as people feel complicated emotions regarding their participation in the election, including the high stakes of casting their ballot.
- There may be an increased presence of National Guard, police, immigration enforcement, or other non-election-related government agencies at polling locations during the 2026 midterm elections.
- Faith leaders and secular peacekeepers can provide a peaceful presence at the polls. As Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, leader of Faiths United to Save Democracy, told The Washington Post in 2022, “When you see a priest or a clergy or an imam or rabbi and they have their clergy garment on, for most people that is a symbol of some level of calm and peace.” By standing in the appropriate places and providing a positive, prayerful presence, faith leaders can add comfort to the experience of voting.
- Poll chaplains provide basic voter information, assist vulnerable voters, and provide a calming presence at polling locations.
- The opportunity to serve as a poll chaplain or peacekeeper is open to clergy or religious and lay leaders. While there is a welcoming presence in having faith leaders in their religious vestments at polling sites, partnering with civic organizations can expand the number of those trained to provide a peaceful presence at polling locations.
- Secular peacekeepers trained in de-escalation and conflict mediation can similarly provide calm and reduce tensions at polling sites
This is a natural extension for the care that we have for each other not only as clergy but for the greater community regardless of faith traditions… It just seemed a wise preventive kind of ministry to be involved in…I’m not there to care for one side or the other, but for every individual who has chosen to be a voter.
– Rev. Karen Hagen, Tippecanoe Presbyterian Church in Bay View, Wisconsin
- The Bridging Divides Initiative has created a bystander and de-escalation training page for community members and volunteers. They also have state-by-state guides that can help you learn about providing a peaceful presence in your state.
- The League of Women Voters launched a Polling Places PeaceKeepers training program for the 2026 midterm elections.
- Faiths United to Save Democracy (FUSD) is launching a Poll Chaplain and Peacekeeper training.
- Sojourners provides a helpful resource on the role of Poll Chaplains.
Our job was simple: welcome people, smile, and offer a sense of calm; respond to questions or incidents that arose; provide information on voting rights; keep an eye out for conflicts and help de-escalate any problems; and thank every voter for their participation… It was also neighborly and friendly. People nodded and greeted one another, cracked jokes, and laughed. They knew they might vote differently, but they would still need to live together, whatever the results.
Our elections rely upon everyday people signing up to serve as poll workers in their local voting locations. Without these (often paid) volunteers, our elections would not be able to run smoothly. And studies show that serving on the front lines of our elections are one of the best ways to increase trust in our elections – and build agency among our community members. Without enough poll workers, long lines could make it harder to vote, polling locations might need to be closed, and longer vote-counting times could reduce trust in our elections. Filling this urgent need is an opportunity to make sure our elections are run smoothly, build relationships across the community, and ensure that every eligible person can vote and every valid vote is counted.
- Our election system is made up of 117,000 polling locations across 3,000 counties. They require about a million poll workers to run smoothly.
- The average age of poll workers has increased over time, with a large share of poll workers over the age of 60. Many are retiring, leaving gaps in our election system that must be filled in order to avoid election crises. It’s time for a new generation of poll workers to join this effort.
- A 2024 survey found that 51% of election officials worry about retaining or recruiting enough election workers in future elections.
- There is an enormous need for bilingual poll workers to adequately serve the needs of diverse communities.
- Our elections depend on individuals from across the country and all political leanings serving their community by being trained as election workers. Some jurisdictions even require an equal number of poll workers from each major political party.
- Our elections are not run from Washington, D.C. or by political elites; they are run at the state and local level. They require participation of everyday Americans serving their local communities.
- Poll workers conduct tasks such as setting up and testing equipment, checking in voters, providing ballots, and scanning and counting the ballots. They go through legislatively-mandated training to ensure that they can carry out these functions.
Working alongside my fellow poll workers on Tuesday, I had a profoundly renewing experience of we, of being part of this unprecedented experiment in multicultural democracy. I say that my faith was renewed – and that is because in working together to make our democracy work, we lived out and renewed the covenant we share, the covenant that is expressed in the first words of the Constitution: We, the People. May we continue to talk, to listen, to disagree peaceably, to respect the outcome of free and fair elections, to live with — and be committed to living with — one another.
– Rabbi Josh Feigelson, Institute for Jewish Spirituality
- During the election season, faith-based organizations can recruit nonpartisan poll workers to help our elections run smoothly so that every valid vote is counted in an accurate, efficient manner.
- Poll working is one way that people can spend time with their neighbors and build community alongside one another.
- Employers can update their employee handbooks to provide paid time off for their staff to work at the polls.
- Organizations can recruit poll workers from their staff, board, membership, or congregation. Multiple organizations can team up to create a competition for recruiting the most poll workers!
- Your local county will have specific rules related to working at the polls. Check with your local county for up-to-date information and requirements.
- When recruiting poll workers, keep in mind the following details:
- The total time commitment including training, the days required for service, and the time necessary to serve on each day of voting. Poll workers are often asked to work either half-day shifts or the full day of Election Day and specific days during early voting.
- Deadlines for signing up. Be sure to check with your county so that your organization can sign up individuals on time.
- How much poll workers are paid in your community.
- You will have no control over what happens after your community members apply. Some people who sign up will be selected, others might not.
- In most counties, poll workers are paid for their service. Individuals who are out of work or otherwise in financial need can serve as poll workers as a way to earn money, and as a way to build their resumé while they seek more long-term work opportunities. There are also many programs for high school students to receive school credit for this work.
I’ve written about the pro-democracy faith movement and worked with religious leaders to resist authoritarianism, but it’s an extra special experience to see democracy up close as a poll worker. I volunteered on Election Day 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky, and was amazed at the community coming together to make democracy happen. I took election processes for granted, but now I understand what a tough and important role poll workers play. Making the promise of democracy real requires neighbors to help neighbors, and my Christian faith teaches me that loving my neighbors is tantamount to following Christ.
– Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, Vice President of Programs & Strategy, Interfaith Alliance
- An email template for congregations to recruit poll workers
- An email template for networks to recruit poll workers
- Poll Worker Preparedness Checklist from the Election Assistance Commission
- Share this Power the Polls link with your organizations so that members can sign up. Individuals who sign up using this link will receive an email from their local election office that outlines the requirements for training and serving as a poll worker. They will also receive follow-up emails and reminders from Interfaith America.
- If you want to create an official partnership between your organization and Power the Polls, you can do that here. By partnering directly with Power the Polls, your organization will receive additional specific toolkits, emails about the specific needs in our election system throughout the year, and helpful information on how you can make your poll worker recruitment effort as successful as possible.
Elections are run at the state and local level. They are staffed by regular citizens who give their time to help our elections run smoothly. You can build trust and transparency in elections by creating relationships with your local election officials — to learn about the process, learn how we can support their work, and ensure accountability related to voting access. Having strong relationships in place well before Election Day will make it easier to navigate challenges that may arise.
- Elections in our country are run by the states — not by Washington, D.C. They have many moving parts, and the stakes surrounding elections are high. It can be hard to understand the process, from the registration and maintenance of voting, to the creation of ballots, to the system for casting and counting of votes. We can educate ourselves on the system and on the transparency and accountability measures that are in place, knowing there are laws to guide the process and watchdogs to detect any potential violations. These conversations can also help our communities find ways to observe our elections to ensure a free, fair, transparent process.
- The vast majority of election officials around the country are professionals with years of experience administering elections. They do not take their own personal or political beliefs into account when determining the outcome.
- Election officials are under a great deal of stress and have faced a deluge of threats and harassment in recent years. During the 2026 midterm elections, we anticipate increased tensions between state and local leaders and federal government agencies.
- Communities can build trust in their elections by demystifying election administration and learning from their local election officials. Officials can answer questions from the public regarding how people vote, how ballots are counted, what safeguards are in place and how our elections are certified.
- Faith-based organizations can increase trust in our elections by providing opportunities for direct engagement with election officials. They can create opportunities for leaders to raise any concerns that they have directly with the people who run our elections.
- These meetings also provide an opportunity for members from both sides of the political aisle to increase transparency and accountability from election officials. They can help election officials protect the right to vote while also maintaining the integrity of elections.
- If you can establish a relationship with election officials throughout the leadup to the 2026 election, you can better assess the information that is shared during the heat of the election itself.
- Election officials need the support of their communities now more than ever. Find ways to publicly thank election workers for their service, and encourage others to do the same. Projects such as “Election Heroes Day” provide resources on how to thank your election officials.
- A More Perfect Union has outlined the following steps for engaging with election officials. A more detailed version of this list can be found here.
- Step 1: Research the questions, concerns, and opportunities in your community.
- Step 2: Choose the type of engagement that best suits your organization – whether that is interfaith events, community events, examining logic and accuracy tests, attending board meetings, or some other activity.
- Step 3: Consider what new and existing coalitions might collaborate.
- Step 4: Reach out to your local election officials.
- Step 5: Prepare your questions and topics.
- Step 6: Send a thank you note.
- Step 7: Educate your community about what you have learned.
Interfaith clergy gatherings are one way to bring together multiple stakeholders for a conversation with election officials. Because feelings, fears, questions, and concerns about American elections can differ dramatically by community, organizing these leaders for a single conversation with local election officials is an efficient way to build transparency quickly and at scale.
– A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy
The recommendations in The Faith in Elections Playbook have been vetted to comply with 501(c)(3) regulations from the Internal Revenue Service.
Faith and Elections in the 2026 Midterms
April 23, 2026 | 1:00-2:30 PM CT | Online Webinar
Three national election leaders that have used the playbook to inform their work will share case studies, lessons learned, and new ways to use the Faith in Elections Playbook to promote constructive engagement in the 2026 midterm elections. In a panel moderated by Chris Crawford, learn from speakers Harman Singh (Sikh Coalition), Ria Chakrabarty (Hindus for Human Rights), and Ray B. Shackelford (National Urban League).
Chris Crawford will further provide an update on challenges and opportunities in the 2026 Elections context. Crawford is the Senior Director of Civic Strategies at Interfaith America and previously staffed The National Task Force on Election Crises.
Advisory Committee
Galen Carey
Vice President of Government Relations, National Association of Evangelicals
Anthony Cruz Pantojas
Humanist Chaplain, Tufts University
Kim Daniels
Director, Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, Georgetown University
Sofi Hersher
Founder and Chief Strategist, Grand View Strategies
Shirley Hoogstra
President-Emertia, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
Simran Jeet Singh
Executive Director of Religion & Society, The Aspen Institute
Dani Levine
Director of Social Impact, Hillel International
Nabila Mansoor
Executive Director, ATJ Action Fund
Emma Petty Addams
Co-Executive Director, Mormon Women for Ethical Government
Lauren W. Reliford, MSW
Director of Public Policy, Children's Defense Fund
Dilara Sayeed
President, Muslim Civic Coalition
Tahil Sharma
Regional Coordinator for North America, United Religions Initiative
Samantha Solemnidad
Master's Student, Singapore Management University
Barbara Williams-Skinner
President, Skinner Leadership Institute; Co-Convener, National African American Clergy Network
Interfaith America Civic Team
Chris Crawford
Senior Director of Civic Strategies
Mary Ellen Giess
Managing Director
Meg Huber
Program Coordinator
Scott Rasmussen
Director of Democracy Initiatives
Jake Shapiro
Program Manager
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Jake Shapiro
Program Manager for Democracy Initiatives
Interfaith America
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