From the CEO: Toward a More Perfect Union

As a follower of The Carter Center, you are probably aware of our long history of election observation around the world. But you may not know as much about the expanding footprint of our election integrity work in the United States.

In 2020, our peace teams began to address deepening distrust in elections and widening political polarization. Our approach combines nonpartisan observation with bridge-building that promotes cross-partisan understanding and civil discourse.

In February, we announced a partnership with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation to conduct nonpartisan observation of Michigan’s elections this November. The Ford-Carter Election Observation Network will train Michigan residents to serve as nonpartisan observers to assess whether election laws and procedures are consistently followed — and to share their findings with the public.

Similar Carter Center-supported election observation efforts are operating in Georgia, Montana, New Mexico, and soon, Nevada.

The two presidential organizations also support Michiganders for Civic Resilience, a network of state leaders from across the political spectrum committed to defending democratic institutions and encouraging peaceful dialogue.

The Michigan group is one of six democracy resilience networks created by the Center; the others are in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Each organization is made up of trusted local leaders on the right and the left who are united by their commitment to democratic ideals and peaceful political dialogue. Network members use traditional and social media to address misinformation and reduce tensions.

In Georgia, we’ve also backed the creation of the Faith Forward Network, made up of multifaith leaders dedicated to healing political divisions in their communities.

This November’s elections will be pivotal to preserving and strengthening democracy and the rule of law in America. If you live in one of the states where we work, I hope you’ll join our networks. But wherever you live, I encourage you to find a way to participate that is meaningful to you.

Paige Alexander is the chief executive officer of The Carter Center.