Agudath Israel of America’s nonpartisan voter registration and turnout campaigns produced extraordinary participation among Orthodox Jewish communities in St. Louis, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan; and Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a stretch of closely watched 2026 state and congressional primary elections.
Detroit saw one of Agudath Israel’s most comprehensive and intensive get-out-the-vote efforts to date. Led by Hy Safran and supported by a team of more than 40 volunteers, the campaign engaged community members for weeks ahead of the election, resulting in unprecedented participation. Forty-four percent of the community voted early, compared to 17% statewide. Final turnout statewide was 30.7%, and while the state has not yet published final data, Agudath Israel’s analysis and voter tracking indicate that roughly 70% of the community turned out, approaching the approximately 75% turnout in the 2024 presidential election.
Agudath Israel-led efforts in St. Louis and Minneapolis produced similarly strong results. In St. Louis, the campaign spanned the entire St. Louis County Orthodox Jewish community, crossing two congressional districts, with more than 40% of voters casting early ballots — a figure that far outpaces typical early-voting participation rates and reflects coordinated outreach by community rabbonim, lay leaders, and volunteers. This marks the second consecutive high-turnout election for the community, following similarly strong participation in the closely watched 2024 Bell-Bush congressional primary underscoring that this level of engagement is a durable, repeatable pattern rather than a one-time result. In Minneapolis, more than 40% of voters likewise cast early ballots, reflecting the same coordinated outreach model.
“Orthodox Jewish communities across the country continue to demonstrate that are civically engaged constituents that understand the importance of a strong turnout,” said Ari Weisenfeld, Director of State Relations for Agudath Israel of America. “Turnout like this doesn’t go unnoticed. Elected officials, and future candidates, understand that a community this engaged is one worth getting to know and understand.”
These campaigns are part of Agudath Israel’s longstanding, nationwide effort to register and mobilize Orthodox Jewish voters, building on decades of nonpartisan civic engagement work in communities across the country.