Archbishop Weisenburger promotes poll chaplains as groups train for elections

Archbishop Edward Weisenburger is encouraging Catholics to serve as poll chaplains during the 2026 midterm elections to help protect voting rights and maintain peace at polling locations. Speaking during a virtual conference in late September, the Archbishop of Detroit said the Church has a theological mandate to be active in the democratic process, including voter registration and the protection of voting rights.

Poll chaplains, sometimes referred to as peacekeepers, serve in an unofficial capacity outside of polling sites. These volunteers provide nonpartisan election information, mediate tensions, and document attempts to intimidate voters or infringe on their rights. Weisenburger noted that the nation is in a significant moment where efforts to gerrymander votes or suppress turnout occur in areas unfavorable to certain candidates.