Faith Leaders Recruit 1,235 Poll Chaplains to Counter Voter Intimidation Ahead of November Midterms
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 midterm elections. The effort, rooted in the Black church, will deploy volunteers to nine battleground states. Organizers say the presence of federal immigration agents near polling sites could discourage voters in mixed-status families.
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 effort is rooted in the Black church but has expanded to include Quakers, Mainline Protestants, imams, and rabbis. Volunteers will deploy to nine battleground states: Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Texas.
Co-founder Barbara Williams-Skinner said the 2026 effort specifically addresses concerns that the potential presence of federal immigration agents near polling sites could discourage voters in mixed-status families and communities of color.
The Rev. Steve Bland of Detroit's Liberty Temple Baptist Church and the Rev. Bankole Akinbinu of Raleigh's Baptist Grove Church both said their participation is motivated by a desire to protect the civic right to vote and ensure that voters feel safe.
Poll chaplains are trained to provide a calm, reassuring presence and offer de-escalation support if tensions arise. They do not advocate for any candidate or party.
The coalition's model draws on a long tradition of faith-based election protection work that dates back to the civil rights movement. Organizers say the scale of the 2026 effort is larger than any previous deployment.
