How to build faith in elections

An Interview with Maryland Governor Wes Moore

Last week, Interfaith America — a group that inspires, equips, and connects leaders and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity — released a video of Governor Wes Moore of Maryland and Governor Spencer Cox of Utah discussing the importance of the Faith in Elections Playbook, a resource guide for faith-based communities looking to ensure every eligible voter can take part in the 2024 election. 

The Playbook — a partnership between Interfaith America and Protect Democracy — has already helped thousands of people in faith communities recruit people to work as poll workers and poll chaplains, share information on where and how to vote, and meet with election officials in their communities. All to help ensure a free and fair election this November. These nonpartisan activities are critical to ensuring that our elections run smoothly. 

As governors from ideologically diverse states, Maryland and Utah, Governors Moore and Cox’s video centers on why free and fair elections are a nonpartisan issue, why it is important for religious leaders to get involved in our election process, and the historic ways in which people of faith have been crucial to the movement to protect our democracy. 

As the leader of Protect Democracy’s faith and democracy work, I reached out to chat with Governor Wes Moore — my governor — to learn more about why he thinks this work is so important and how he is feeling about overseeing his first election since taking office. 

Q&A below:

The purpose of the Faith in Elections Playbook is to help more Americans have trust in our election system, and to see themselves as part of the process. This is the first election that you are overseeing as governor of Maryland. How do you feel about the integrity of your state’s elections? 

Not only as governor, but as a citizen of Maryland, I’m supremely confident in our elections. 

Our IT systems are protected and monitored in multiple ways. We conduct continuous review and testing. We confirm results with post-election audits that ballots are counted correctly and results are accurate. We have no higher priority than ensuring the integrity of our election systems. 

We must also commend the Marylanders from both political parties who step up to work, year after year, at our polling locations. They are integral to ensuring the integrity of our elections, too.

As a governor, you are one of the most important messengers to your constituents regarding our elections. How do you try to address the doubts that some people have?

Our greatest leaders have questioned the systems they work within. Our greatest leaders have remembered that your hope and your skepticism don’t have to be in conflict. 

Skepticism should always be your companion — but it should never be your captor. In my mind, that’s actually the true nature of American patriotism. It’s not waving a flag. It’s not voting “Red” or “Blue.” And it’s certainly not hating half the country or people who don’t share the same political party or ideology.

Loving your country also doesn’t mean lying about it. Loving your country means understanding our nation is flawed, but it’s still worth fighting for. It’s understanding that our nation can do big things, and that big things need to be done — but not without each of us working together to make things right.

Your video with Governor Cox talks about the important role that religious leaders and faith-based communities play in ensuring that our democracy works. Why are they such an important group to engage? 

Our faith-based communities are bastions of service. I think about my grandfather, who made history as the first Black minister in the history of the Dutch Reform Church in this country. I think about my pastor, Donte Hickman. I think not only about their love and support for me, but for the love and support they provide to others — that has become a guiding light in my life. They showed me what it means to serve.

As governor, I’m trying to bring people together under that exact principle.

People who serve together stick together. I saw that when I served with paratroopers in Afghanistan. I saw that when I ran Robin Hood. I see that now, as governor. We’re asking our state to get to know each other again, to believe in each other again, and to serve one another. We’re going to make the state that those who came before us hoped for and those who come after us deserve — and we are going to do it in service together.

The Faith in Elections Playbook outlines a number of nonpartisan ways that people can get involved in ensuring a smoothly-run election in 2024. These include sharing accurate information, serving as poll workers and poll chaplains, meeting with election officials, and ensuring that communities have enough polling locations. As we enter the home stretch of this election, are there specific ways that you want to encourage folks to get involved? 

No matter your political affiliation, be engaged. Vote.