Practical Considerations for Voting

Tri-City Baptist Church does not endorse candidates. Instead, we encourage you to vote, and to vote according to Biblical principles. There are people around the world who would love to have the opportunity to vote, and there are people who have sacrificed and died for that right.

Christians are called to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14). While an individual grain of salt may not have much influence, together salt provides flavor and stops corruption. The Christian vote is a formidable block. In the 2020 election, the vote margin in Arizona was 0.3% or 10,457 votes. Over half a million voters (526,800) who voted in 2020 did not show up to vote in 2022. There are 781,561 registered voters who have never voted, and another 418,694 eligible individuals who are not registered to vote. How many of those non-voters are Christians? Does that number of non-voters include you? Voting is your right, and you have a duty to be salt.

There is no perfect candidate; at times the imperfections are glaring. The choice is always between various sinners. But that does not remove the opportunity and responsibility to vote. God uses imperfect and sinful people. The next president will appoint around 3,000 unelected officials to influential positions who, in those positions, will impact our lives and the lives of our children.

Besides the candidates for the office of the president, there are many other elected positions and important propositions on the ballot. You should endeavor to discern the positions of the various candidates and issues to cast informed votes.

Non-negotiable issues for a Christian to examine:

• What does the candidate believe about the protection of the lives of unborn children? God “formed my inward parts… in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13-15).
• What is the candidate’s position on manhood and womanhood? “From the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female’” (Mark 10:6; see also Romans 1:26-27).
• What is the candidate’s position on marriage? “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

General principles for voting:

• Vote for the candidate who best promotes Biblical values.
• Vote for the party that best advances Biblical values.
• Vote to protect and advance morality.
• Vote to protect and advance individual rights and responsibilities.
• Vote according to policies, not personalities.
• Vote first according to Biblical principles, not your finances.

Practical considerations for voting:

• Vote for the decision-making roles to be closer to the community, i.e. less big-government (one size fits all decision-making) and more local influence and control.
• If the candidates hold similar unbiblical positions, vote for the challenger. Incumbents tend to have more authority and power.

Pray, Vote, Pray, and Trust the Lord