How To Vote
The first election I ever voted in was for a Parish Council in an Anglican Church about a month after I turned 18 and it was super exciting. A friend who had just turned 21 was elected. So a quick reminder that our AGM is this Sunday at 2pm and I would love you to come and be a part of it!
Since turning 18 I have voted in all sorts of elections and meetings and I believe our involvement in and engagement with democratic process is an important part of being a Christian and having my say on the use of our common resources and the direction of our organisations and country. I know some people take a contrary view and yet the beauty of Christian fellowship is that we can hold and discuss opposing views without assuming we hate each other. This is not often the case in the world so modelling something different and knowing when to open your mouth and when to keep it closed is often the biggest challenge.
The Scriptures urge us in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 to pray regularly for those in power over us. They need our prayers but we should also pray for ourselves in our responsibility for electing them. No one should ever tell you how you must vote, but I want to urge you to think carefully about how to vote.
As we come up to the State Election in 10 days, we must recognise that each party has various standpoints on different issues and some proposed policies may make it more difficult in the future to be Christian or to hold to and teach a Christian worldview. Don’t assume that voting for a Christian party is best and don’t assume that voting for the party or person who will most advantage you is best.
Rather, here are some questions to consider as you go to vote.
How do the people I can vote for think about freedom of religion? This is a hot topic at the moment and one that we must pay attention to. What are the various party’s policies on what you can say, do, teach and uphold as a church and as a Christian? This is particularly important when it comes to SRE in schools and choosing teachers in Christian schools. It’s worth researching what your local candidates think about these issues and considering them as you go to vote.
How do the people I can vote for think about life, death and medicine? Again, there have been enormous shifts in what defines medical care in the last decade. What are the various party’s policies on the hot button issues? Will medical professionals be able to conscientiously object to the state policy or will they be forced to toe the line? What philosophy do they uphold when thinking about freedom and life? It’s worth researching what your local candidates think about these issues and considering them as you go to vte.
How do the people I can vote for think about vulnerable people? The big discussion point in this area has been poker machines and protection of problem gamblers but the issues are far broader than that. What are the various party’s policies on caring for the weak and vulnerable in our community? Are they concerned about indigenous welfare and people with disabilities? It’s worth researching what your local candidates think about these issues and considering them as you go to vote.
These are three crucial macro-issues worth considering when you go to vote - you may also want to consider just how your local member has gone at being local and caring for what matters where you live. No doubt there will be other issues close to your heart you will also consider.
All I ask is that you think, research, pray and decide - not voting the way you feel you should or the way you’ve been told to or the way your parents did, but voting in order to pursue what is good for our society and the glory of God.
