In the midst of a hyper-partisan political environment Republicans, Democrats and Independents in Arizona have found something to work on together: democracy.
As the focus moves from the primaries to November's general election, former Congressman Ron Barber and business and civic leader Don Henninger are announcing the launch of the Arizona Democracy Resilience Network, a cross-partisan, grassroots effort initiated by The Carter Center. The network is bringing together civic, business, and religious leaders and citizens to serve as community advocates for peaceful political engagement around elections.
The Arizona Democracy Resilience Network, which includes an array of community leaders and organizations from across the political spectrum, will work on a range of activities to build community resilience to conflict and to foster confidence in elections. The network will ask candidates and citizens to uphold basic civic standards before, during and after the November election.
"The Arizona Democracy Resilience Network is a testament to the ability of all Arizonans to reach across the political divide and work for the betterment of our state," said Barber.
Henninger agreed: "The network will serve as a positive example to everyone in Arizona that there is far more about which we agree than about which we disagree, including the importance of engaging with civility around elections, especially in hotly contested races."
Separately, The Carter Center also plans to explore supporting nonpartisan election observation efforts in Arizona and will provide expert analysis and technical assistance to various local partners.
Arizona is one of several key states where The Carter Center is lending its global expertise in conflict resolution and democracy strengthening to help bolster democratic norms ahead of the 2022 midterms. The Carter Center, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, has been supporting peace and democracy around the world since 1982.