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June 2026 Partner Newsletter · Full Edition
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The Jewish |
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Partnership |
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for Democracy |
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Partner Newsletter
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June 2026 · Full Edition
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A note to our partners
Two milestones on the horizon.
Dear Partner — as we move into summer, our eyes are on two major moments just over the horizon: the 2026 midterms and the 250th anniversary of the United States. Both invite reflection — not only on where our democracy stands, but on how we protect and strengthen it.
From partners’ Ignition Grant proposals, to our Constructive Dialogue cohorts, to cross-network support at Brewing Community, your efforts show what it looks like to translate civic concern into real community building and action. We’re grateful to be on this journey with you.
Jeremy Bannett
VP, Programs and Partnerships
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What we’re watching
Tracking the road to 2026
The main point: As the 2026 midterms approach, we’re tracking new and growing challenges to free, fair, safe, and accessible elections.
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| 1. Primaries in the age of Super PACs |
| Super PACs are shaping U.S. primary elections by spending unlimited sums to influence election results. In many districts, primaries effectively determine who will hold office, making them a key target for outside spending. In the 2026 cycle, Super PACs backed by major donors, corporations, and advocacy groups have poured unprecedented resources into primary races, sometimes even working to boost candidates with extreme views. This raises broader questions about representation and how much power wealthy outside actors should have in choosing elected officials. Read more in our latest, What are Super PACs, and why are they reshaping primary elections? |
| 2. The latest on the SAVE Act |
| Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate rejected another effort to advance the SAVE Act, a bill which would enact new restrictions on in-person and mail-in voting. President Trump has continued to push the issue, recently saying he won’t sign an extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act unless the SAVE Act is passed. Using unrelated legislation as a bargaining chip can increase polarization, reduce consensus, and slow down the passage of something time-sensitive. It makes technical policy politicized, even when experts agree on urgency. |
| 3. DOJ requests for state voter data |
| State officials may soon have to choose between handing voter lists to the administration or risk losing mail-in-ballot delivery through USPS. According to the Constitution, the Federal government is not empowered to administer elections. Despite this, the current Administration has been seeking to exercise more control over elections. These efforts have included demanding voter-registration information from states, which may be shared with unnamed third party contractors and incorporated into a flawed system that has erroneously flagged lawful U.S. citizens as ineligible voters. States are primarily responsible for maintaining voter registration lists under federal legal requirements that govern how voter rolls must be updated. |
| 4. More on mail-in voting |
| Election officials are awaiting a Supreme Court decision in Watson v. Republican National Committee, a case challenging whether states can count mail ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive afterward. A ruling against those grace periods would likely force states to communicate different election deadlines, impacting those who vote by mail; nearly 1 in 3 Americans voted by mail in 2024. States with grace periods may look slower to report results following Election Day, but the difference is not statistically significant. Post–Election Day ballots account for only a small share of total votes. |
| 5. Los Angeles vote count & misinformation |
| Following California’s June primary, false claims of election fraud spread rapidly after people misread publicly reported vote-counting data. A minor, technical reporting delay created a misleading snapshot that was misinterpreted as evidence of fraud, illustrating how real-time election data can be easily distorted to fuel misinformation. These false claims were amplified by social media influencers and partisan commentators, even as election officials and experts clarified that this pattern reflected standard mail-ballot counting procedures. |
| Why it matters: These issues reflect several of the major pressures facing election systems today: the growing influence of money in politics, disputes over voting rules and election administration, and the rapid spread of misinformation. Together, they highlight how legal, financial, and administrative decisions can affect both election outcomes and public confidence in the democratic process — reinforcing the need for transparency and trusted messaging. |
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| Read: What are Super PACs, and why are they reshaping primaries? → |
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★ Funding
Ignition Grants
The July 22 deadline to apply is fast approaching! Partners can apply for up to $4,000 to support projects eligible through our recommended election actions.
Apply for an Ignition Grant →
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Featured Events
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High Holy Days
Drashing Democracy 2026
A 90-minute webinar for Jewish clergy — leading rabbis on High Holy Day sermon themes for a nation in reflection.
Register for the event →
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Recent programs & recordings
What’d I miss?
Brewing Community: Virtual Partner Forum on June 17
Brewing Community brought together partners from across the JPD to reflect on current challenges to democracy, share best practices, and workshop real-time civic engagement strategies. Breakout sessions focused on using storytelling to make democracy more personal and compelling, civic renewal projects like Faith in Fair Elections and America 250 efforts, and reconvening Constructive Dialogue cohort alumni. A participant sums up the experience: “It was great to get me more active, suggesting ways and resources to do so, and not to feel alone or sink into helplessness.”
Ignition Grant Info Session on June 24
This information session on Ignition Grants as part of our Faith in Fair Elections campaign recapped funding available to support work that strengthens free, fair, safe, and accessible elections. The July 22 deadline to apply is fast approaching! Partners can apply for up to $4,000 to support projects eligible through our recommended election actions. The recording can be accessed here.
Constructive Dialogue Cohort Convenings
We recently gathered our two Constructive Dialogue cohorts — Jewish leaders from the JPD who learned skills to navigate polarization, foster dialogue across differences, and use dialogue as a tool for strengthening the Jewish communal landscape and civic life. Interested in learning more about future Constructive Dialogue offerings?
Email Maddie Solomon →
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Partner Spotlight · Milwaukee
Tikkun Ha-Ir
In Milwaukee, Tikkun Ha-Ir is building a more connected civic community through 100 Women on the Move — a coalition of Jewish women, Black church leaders, community organizers, and civic-engagement advocates. What began as a conversation among three women in 2023 has grown into a network of roughly 170 women who mobilize for voter engagement, community outreach, and poll-worker recruitment.
Read the partner spotlight →
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Partner Happenings
Marking America’s 250th through a Jewish lens:
Shalom Hartman Institute
Beit Midrash for America at 250
Essays from scholars and leaders on how 250 years of Jewish life in America — and Jewish tradition — inform the challenges and possibilities ahead. Read more →
Pardes Institute
Talmud of America
Short, powerful commentaries on key phrases from the Declaration, rooted in classical Jewish texts. For your Shabbat table or community gatherings. Get the booklet →
YU Sacks-Herenstein Center
Reflections on 250 Years in America
Essays reflecting on the 250th through a Jewish lens — on the freedoms and democratic institutions that require active stewardship. Learn more →
Weitzman National Museum
250 Years of Jewish Life in America
A monthly virtual series with leading historians, tracing how Jewish identity and the American story have shaped one another. Register for the series →
Repair the World
Serve 250: Democracy Ballot
Service opportunities for free, fair, safe, and accessible elections — scaled to meet you where you are, with an entry point to grow your civic engagement all year. Explore the Democracy Ballot →
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New resource: our Steal This! program bank shares great partner ideas — like Civic Spirit’s immersive Civic Spirit Day for faith-based schools.
Learn how to host your own →
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Are you doing great democracy work that should be shared in a future newsletter? Let us know!
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Opportunities for the JPD
America’s 250th · National
It’s not too late to join faith250
A national, multi-faith initiative tied to America’s 250th. Local clusters bring faith leaders together around July 4th and Thanksgiving. We’re pleased to offer $1,000 to any cluster that includes a Jewish organization or synagogue. Watch the video → Learn more & start a cluster →
July 13 · 7 PM ET · Online
Poll Chaplain / Peacekeeper Training
Faiths United to Save Democracy invite faith and civic leaders to serve at priority polling sites in nine key states — AZ, GA, MI, NC, OH, PA, TX, VA, or WI. Learn more & sign up →
July 25 · 2–5 PM ET · Online
Depolarizing Within Workshop
A free, three-hour Braver Angels workshop to recognize your own “inner polarizer” and navigate political conversations with greater curiosity and respect. Learn more & sign up →
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| PS: Interested in being connected to another organization in the network? Fill out this form, and we’ll be happy to introduce you! |
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★ Civics Fact of the Month
You have the right to remain silent.
On June 13, 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that people in police custody must be informed of their rights, including the right to remain silent and to an attorney — a constitutional protection that remains part of everyday life 60 years later.
Source: Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center
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