Faith Leaders Mobilize to Counter Voter Intimidation on Election Day

Faith leaders from diverse religious and secular backgrounds are uniting to serve as poll chaplains and peacekeepers on Election Day, aiming to create a reassuring presence and counter potential voter intimidation. The initiative, organized by the nonpartisan coalition Faiths United in Saving Democracy, will deploy volunteers to nine states with closely contested races: Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Texas.

The volunteers, identifiable by hats and vests, will remain outside polling places. Their primary goal is to foster a calm atmosphere, encouraging more voters to exercise their rights without fear or hesitation. As of October 19, the coalition had recruited 1,235 poll chaplains and peacekeepers.

This effort comes amid widespread concern that the potential presence of federal immigration agents could create a chilling effect, particularly deterring eligible voters in mixed-immigration-status families and communities of color. While Department of Homeland Security officials have stated they have no plans to send immigration agents to the polls, they have noted agents could be present for specific reasons, such as executing an arrest warrant.

Training for the volunteers covers immigrant rights, de-escalation techniques, and emergency contact information. The initiative, which has roots in the Black church, has expanded to include a wide array of faiths, including Mainline Protestants, Quakers, Baptists, imams, and rabbis, as well as non-religious individuals.

"This is a movement built by unusual coalitions," said co-founder Barbara Williams-Skinner. "You have white, Mainline Protestants, Quakers, traditional Baptists, Black church leaders, imams, rabbis — all kinds of people who probably would not work together or haven’t worked together in the past." She emphasized that the initiative is strictly nonpartisan, focusing on ensuring all individuals can vote without fear.

A Pew survey conducted after the September 2025 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk indicated that 85% of Americans, across political lines, perceive an increase in political violence. Historically, polling places have been targets of protests. In 2022, individuals monitoring ballot drop boxes in Arizona were ordered to maintain a distance from polling locations after voter complaints about intimidation. In 2020, a crowd stormed a vote-counting center in Detroit, fueled by conspiracy theories about election fraud.

Rev. Steve Bland, who intervened during the 2020 incident in Detroit, is participating as a poll chaplain. He described de-escalation as using "the right words to calm a situation" or providing moral support to intimidated voters. He recalled an instance where his intervention encouraged an elderly Black woman to vote, and subsequently, her two grandsons also cast their ballots.

Steven Huefner, deputy director of the Election Law Program at The Ohio State University, suggested that poll chaplains could help soothe frayed nerves in a public exposed to divisive rhetoric and news of political violence. He noted that while political violence has increased, it is not widespread, and election workers are generally well-trained.

Sociologists note that clergy have historically served as peacekeepers, and contemporary chaplaincy is attracting more individuals seeking to assist people in difficult times. Clergy involved in the poll chaplaincy initiative cite a faith-driven calling to serve and protect the right to vote, viewing it as a sacred act.

Rabbi Emily Segal of Temple Chai in Scottsdale, Arizona, stated that the work aligns with teachings about a healthy and just society. "Any time we can come together with faith partners around our shared values for societal good is a real source of holiness for our community," she said. Quaker leader Bridget Moix will travel to her home state of Ohio, viewing voting as a sacred act to protect, while Reirin Gumbel, a Buddhist teacher, draws on the Metta Sutra's message of compassion and equal rights for all beings.