Arizona Faith Network works to ensure a safe, peaceful and fun Election Day
Josh Bootzin | Staff Writer, Jewish News
Coordinated by the Arizona Faith Network (AFN), Jewish, Christian and Muslim faith leaders across the Valley released a joint letter on Oct. 7 calling for safe, accessible and peaceful elections next month.
The letter, titled “A Shared Call from Arizona Faith Leaders for a Faithful and Peaceful 2026 Election,” explicitly rejects using religion to justify political violence.
Among the 10 signers are Rabbi Andy Green, president of the Greater Phoenix Board of Rabbis; John P. Dolan, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix; and Mahbubur Rahman Maruf, imam at the United Islamic Center of Arizona.
The letter emphasizes that people’s responsibility to one another outweighs political differences, and the faith leaders urge everyone to protect voters and election workers, reject intimidation and exercise patience while lawful election processes are underway.
“These leaders come from different traditions and serve people across the political spectrum, but they agree on something essential: every voter deserves to cast a ballot safely and without fear,” said Rev. Dr. Katie Sexton, executive director of AFN. “Faith should never be used to justify violence. Our role is to help our communities lower the temperature and remember that we are bound to one another.”
To prepare for Election Day, AFN has hosted a series of election-protection training events since May 2026 for peacekeepers and poll chaplains, of which Sexton estimated more than 200 will be at election sites on Nov. 3.