Faith Groups Deploy Over 1200 Poll Chaplains for 2026 Midterm Elections
A nonpartisan coalition called Faiths United in Saving Democracy has recruited more than 1,200 volunteers to serve as poll chaplains and peacekeepers at polling sites in nine battleground states for the November 3 midterms. The volunteers, drawn from Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and other faith traditions, are trained in de-escalation and voter rights. Organizers say the effort aims to counter voter intimidation and ensure all eligible voters feel safe.
A nonpartisan coalition called Faiths United in Saving Democracy has recruited 1,235 volunteers to serve as poll chaplains and peacekeepers for the November 3, 2026, midterm elections.
The volunteers will be deployed to nine battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. They will wear identifying vests and hats and station themselves outside polling locations.
The coalition draws from a wide range of backgrounds, including Christians, Muslims, Jews, Quakers, Buddhists, and non-religious individuals. Organizers describe it as an unusual coalition united by a shared commitment to protecting the democratic process.
Volunteers receive training in de-escalation techniques, immigrant rights information, and conflict response protocols. Organizers say concerns about federal immigration agents near polling sites have created a chilling effect in communities of color and mixed-status families.
Department of Homeland Security officials have said they have no plans to deploy agents to polls unless executing a specific warrant. Still, faith leaders say their presence is needed.
The initiative has roots in the Black church but has grown into a broad, multiracial effort. Many participants describe their involvement as a theological calling to protect voting as a sacred civic act.
