Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG), a nonpartisan civic organization with over 10,000 members across all 50 states, has developed a strategy to strengthen election confidence: building direct relationships with the officials who run elections. The group organized meetings with Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and hosted tours of the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC) for its members this summer.
The organization describes itself as peaceful, proactive, faithful, and nonpartisan. According to its leadership, approximately 40 percent of members identify as Republican, 36 percent as Democrat, and 24 percent as Independent. The group operates under a foundation of faith and focuses on civic engagement and peacemaking in politics.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive groups and Democratic-aligned organizations have largely welcomed efforts to build public confidence in election administration through transparency initiatives. Supporters argue that direct engagement between community members and election officials helps demystify processes that can appear opaque to average voters.
Advocates for expanded civic education say MWEG's approach exemplifies how grassroots organizing can complement official election communication efforts. They note that trusted messengers within communities often reach people who may distrust government institutions but trust neighbors and faith-based leaders.
Democratic election officials have similarly embraced these relationship-building efforts, arguing that personal connections help counter misinformation that spreads through social media and partisan news sources. Supporters say this kind of sustained engagement creates durable relationships that can weather political cycles.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative groups and Republican-aligned organizations often emphasize different aspects of election integrity while supporting transparency measures. Some Republican voters have expressed concerns about election procedures since 2020, particularly in states like Arizona that have been centers of election-related disputes.
Supporters of enhanced election verification note that community engagement efforts work best when they include opportunities for citizens to see security measures firsthand. They argue that tours of tabulation facilities and meetings with officials address legitimate voter questions about chain of custody, signature verification, and audit procedures.
Republican commentators who focus on election integrity say these kinds of grassroots programs can help rebuild trust in communities where skepticism persists despite official assurances. They emphasize the importance of having trusted community messengers—people embedded in neighborhoods and faith communities—who can speak to neighbors directly.
What the Numbers Show
MWEG measured changes in member confidence before and after their engagement activities. Before meeting with Secretary Fontes, members rated their confidence in Arizona's election administration at 3.6 on a scale of 0 to 5. After the meeting, that score increased to 4.6—a full point improvement.
Members who toured MCTEC reported similar gains in understanding ballot processing procedures. Their self-rated comprehension scores rose from 3.0 before the facility visit to 4.5 afterward, according to data collected by the organization.
The group has active members in all 50 states and operates as part of the Trustworthy Elections Initiative, a collaborative effort that includes Living Room Conversations, Civity, Interfaith America, the National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD), AllSides, and the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD).
The Bottom Line
MWEG's approach highlights an emerging strategy in election administration: empowering community members to serve as trusted messengers rather than relying solely on official communications from government agencies. Secretary Fontes described these efforts during his meeting with the group, saying that 'people like you' represent 'the most effective antidote to polarization.'
The data from MWEG suggests that firsthand exposure to election facilities and direct interaction with officials can meaningfully shift how citizens perceive electoral processes. The organization plans continued engagement, including upcoming meetings with Pima County Recorder staff.
Whether this model can scale beyond organized groups like MWEG into broader public confidence remains an open question. Election administrators in other states have expressed interest in similar programs, though resource constraints often limit the scope of facility tours and direct engagement opportunities.