Carah Ong Whaley

Carah Ong Whaley, PhD, is a tireless advocate for creating a more just and inclusive democracy. She currently serves as the director of election protection at Issue One, where she works on IO’s Faces of Democracy campaign, National Council on Election Integrity, and leads the 2024 Elections Communications Hub. This initiative unites nonpartisan organizations with a shared mission: to enhance election integrity, bolster public confidence in the electoral process, and safeguard individuals’ rights to participate in democracy free from interference.

Before joining Issue One, Carah made significant contributions at the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Her expertise and passion for civic engagement are further demonstrated through her leadership roles within the American Political Science Association, where she co-chairs the Civic Engagement section and serves on the Civic Education Committee. Carah was also appointed by the Governor of Virginia to the Complete Count Commission for the 2020 Census.

Carah’s work has been featured in prestigious publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Teen Vogue, and NPR. She is a prolific writer and editor, with notable works including “The Red Ripple: The 2022 Midterm Elections and What They Mean For 2024” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022;, “Civic Pedagogies: Teaching Civic Engagement in an Era of Divisive Politics” (Springer, 2024); and “Leaning Into Politics: Higher Education’s Role in Building the Democracy We Need” (Information Age Press, 2024). Her contributions to “American Government: Roots and Reform” span chapters on Political Parties, Campaigns, Elections and Voting, and The Media (Pearson, 2013-2024). Her insightful articles, such as “Jan. 6 Hearings Show a Democracy in Crisis. Civic Education Can Help;” “We the People, We the Process: Engaging Young People in Election Administration;” and “Counting on Higher Education: Teaching and Assessing Knowledge and Participation in the 2020 Census,” further highlight her impact on civic education and engagement.

Previously, Carah served as the associate director of the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement at James Madison University. Her innovative voter education and engagement initiatives led to a remarkable turnout, with over 75% of the student body voting in the 2020 election. Her career also includes significant work with non-governmental organizations on nuclear weapons and security issues from 1999 to 2012.

She holds a PhD in American Government and a Master’s in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, along with degrees in Spanish and Global Peace and Security from the University of California at Santa Barbara.