Why I’m Probably Not Voting This Year
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As election day approaches this year, the prospect of voting looks different to me than it has in the past. Whether I look to the left or to the right, my thoughts echo the prophet Jeremiah: “…Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?” (Jer 12:1).
Hopefully the situation improves by 2024.
Some may wonder what principles would normally make a Christian feel obligated to vote. They include these:
- Those in government have duties assigned to them by God (1 Pet 2:14, Rom 13:1-5).
- In nations with rule of law and elected lawmakers, we’re all in the government in at least two ways: the power to choose lawmakers by voting, the power to seek justice through the courts.
- Love of neighbor means acting in ways that make for a better society for them, and this applies even more to family and church (Gal 6:10).
These are solid and compelling principles, and some of the reasons I’ve heard for not voting don’t hold up either.
Wrong reasons to skip voting
(1) This world is not our home. Our citizenship is indeed in Heaven (Phil 3:20). It doesn’t follow that the condition of the world we live in now doesn’t matter or that we have no duties to our fellow humans. The fact that we will live forever somewhere makes what we do here matter more, not less. “Just a passin’ through” doesn’t seem like the right way to view our stewardship (Matt 25:14-27, 1 Cor 4:2).
Regardless, we’re called to seek the good of our neighbors—and our enemies, too (Luke 6:27-28).
(2) God is sovereign. God will do whatever He pleases. All His plans and goals will be accomplished. Scripture is clear on this—Isaiah 46:10, for example. It’s a mistake, though, to think that, therefore, we have no obligation to fix anything ourselves or that we’re not responsible for our choices. The things we do or fail to do are part of the fabric of secondary causes that ultimately achieve God’s plans—and we’re responsible. That’s why there’s a judgment (1 Pet 1:17). God’s sovereignty is never a reason for inaction (though His instructions certainly can be: Exod 14:13, 1 Sam 12:16).
(3) Only the gospel matters. Is “politics” just a huge distraction from spreading the gospel? It certainly is a distraction for many—but so are sports and other entertainments, hobbies, work, parenting, and some of what we call ministry.
When is an activity “a distraction”? Multiple factors determine the answer. Maybe the person doing the activity isn’t doing it out of a heart and mind that is gospel-rooted and gospel-suffused. Maybe the person doing the activity has special gospel-serving duties he’s neglecting. But maybe the activity is more gospel-related than it seems.
The gospel is the good news that God intends to fix our sin-ruined world, starting with sin-ruined humans who put their trust in Jesus Christ, recognizing Him as Lord. When these believers engage in good, or creative, or helpful work in a way that seeks the glory of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ, they aren’t competing with the gospel. They’re living it.
Why not, then?
Given all of that, why not vote this time around?
- While the social/political left continues to do the usual and nominate candidates I can’t support, the right is nominating its own breed of unfit candidates. Our major parties seem determined to out-dolt, out-kook, and out-hothead each other.
- I can’t seem to get good information. The conservative candidates don’t talk about their own party. On the topic of the GOP, they’re either not talking about its sad state or they’re personifying it. I can’t tell who the sober-minded grown-ups are.
- We’re going to keep getting bad candidates if we keep voting for whatever bozo is on the ballot, just to try to beat the other party’s bozo.
- Our form of government can’t thrive with untrustworthy people in power—and I can’t see any way to vote that would help put trustworthy people in power.
The bottom line: this time around, voting seems—more than usual—like an exercise in futility.
You’re too idealistic
Yeah, I know… Politics is the art of the possible. Quit being so idealistic. Our duty as voters is to help elect whoever will (probably) do the least damage or whoever will prevent someone worse from gaining power.
My defense of “idealism” is essentially the same as it’s been since 2016. I don’t have a new one, but I can summarize it a different way.
First, three points I’ll gladly concede. I’ve never doubted or questioned that …
- outcomes matter;
- elected leaders don’t have to be paragons of virtue to earn a vote;
- a vote for a leader is not an endorsement of everything he is, says, or does.
Absolutely! Still, other truths remain:
- More than outcomes matter: some things are wrong regardless of better results.
- Even if “greatest good for the greatest number” was a Christian approach to ethics (it’s not), we often don’t know what will accomplish that goal.
- Scripture is far from silent about what sort of people are fit for leadership and what tends to happen when the unfit gain power.
- Though a vote is not an endorsement of all a candidate is, says, or does, it is an act that directly helps the candidate rise to power.
- Increasingly, the worst pundits, candidates, and officeholders on the right are the most vocally “Christian.” How much damage to Christian testimony should we do in order to achieve social and political good?
- What’s less painful in the short run is often more painful in the long run, and what’s more painful in the short run is often most beneficial in the long run.
- Political parties hate losing. Losing enough elections may eventually alter the perception of what sort of nominees will win.
- Indirect outcomes of our actions (or inactions) aren’t ethically the same as results we cause directly. (Example: withholding “heroic measures” and letting a terminal patient die isn’t the same as killing that patient.)
When I add it all up, it seems I might as well just sit back and watch this one―but also pray “for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Tim 2:2).
Aaron Blumer 2016 Bio
Aaron Blumer is a Michigan native and graduate of Bob Jones University and Central Baptist Theological Seminary (Plymouth, MN). He and his family live in small-town western Wisconsin, not far from where he pastored for thirteen years. In his full time job, he is content manager for a law-enforcement digital library service. (Views expressed are the author's own and not his employer's, church's, etc.)
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A major reason for a lack of “good candidates” is that good candidates don’t want to run for political office. If you won’t vote because of a lack of “good candidates”, then run for office yourself.
Wally Morris
Huntington, IN
[dcbii]Of course, the left knows this, which is why they spent massive amounts of money this year funding the most extreme right candidates they could, in hopes that people would somehow see the left as the “saner” choice. Worse, it appears to be working.
It’s no wonder that our Lord said this: “for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” And many of the children of light fail to recognize it or do anything about it.
Of course, next Wednesday (or whatever the end date ends up being), whoever gets in, gets in, and while I might be disappointed, I’ll know that God appointed whom he would, and I’ll get on with life. In the mean time, I intend to go down swinging.
This is one big reason I don’t generally watch/listen to TV and radio ads. They generate hype that is largely content free, so if you want to be a good elector in our republic, look elsewhere.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
[Bert Perry]This is one big reason I don’t generally watch/listen to TV and radio ads. They generate hype that is largely content free, so if you want to be a good elector in our republic, look elsewhere.
They can certainly be effective, though. Remember “Weekend prison passes. Dukakis on crime.”? Probably the most effective campaign ad I can remember.
I haven’t had cable/TV (other than ad-free paid streaming) since 2013. Getting rid of ads in my life has been huge, but there is probably no time in the year more than this one where I’m happy to not see any ads, so I miss the barrage of campaign ads.
Dave Barnhart
[dcbii]I could not watch any TV at all and still get bombarded with political ads — we’ve been getting around 5 pieces or more in the mail everyday for the past few weeks!I haven’t had cable/TV (other than ad-free paid streaming) since 2013. Getting rid of ads in my life has been huge, but there is probably no time in the year more than this one where I’m happy to not see any ads, so I miss the barrage of campaign ads.
Defense here for Biden stealing money from taxpayers to pay off student loans. Dumb and unconstitutional. Never mind that Biden seems to believe that he got Student Loan Forgiveness passed in congress. I doubt Biden knows what year it is.
Why would you object to someone who questions the 2020 election? I am not confident that 2020 was above board. Too many cases thrown out on technical issues. I am not saying we need to invalidate it or anything. But we must have enough election process reform that we don’t question it.
Aaron, maybe you’re just being imprecise here:
Put resources behind people who aren’t on the fringe. When it comes to winning nominations, I get that often the most extreme candidate is going to have the most motivated base. So there needs to be some strategizing, because it doesn’t matter how big your margins are in a nomination fight if you’re too extreme (or too lots of other things) for the actual election.
But “fringe” and “extreme” really shouldn’t matter. I hear sometimes, “Both parties have gotten so extreme!” I don’t agree. The left has moved WAY left. (probably should be WAY WAY WAY)
The right has actually also moved left. Very little talk about being fiscal conservative and balancing the budget. No talk about ending Obamacare and government provided health care. Yes, the police should be defended, not defunded. But that’s not new.
The fact that the left has gone insane means the “middle” way to the left. That doesn’t make it right.
Our deficits and entitlements mean we borrow huge amounts of money every year to give our society a standard of living that we are not earning. We cannot do this forever.
[AndyE]I could not watch any TV at all and still get bombarded with political ads — we’ve been getting around 5 pieces or more in the mail everyday for the past few weeks!
Technically, I do get paper ads in the mail, though because we have gang mail boxes in our neighborhood (and not one per house), I only check the mail once per week. Most weeks I get less than 5 pieces of political ad mail, and they get immediately thrown out, though I did get one “Voter’s Guide” that was shilling for all progressive candidates. That one I quickly perused to be sure I was picking no one on that list, then it joined the others in the round file.
You must be on more mailing lists than I am! Maybe the fact that I’m registered independent (actually “Unaffiliated” in my state) makes the difference, though I would think that would make me more attractive to candidates, since they would think my vote is possibly more “winnable.” Still, I’m happy I’m missing out!
Edit: Just picked up last night’s mail for the week. Only 2 political flyers, and only one was for a candidate. The other was telling us about our local bond issues for this election. Definitely happy to not get more than that…
Dave Barnhart
I live in PA. I will vote because there are some excellent local candidates whom I can readily support. At the state-wide level I have an absolutely ridiculous choice for governor between a Democrat who supports every wrong thing that Democrats support. Or I can vote for the Republican who is a Trump lackey who denies that Trump did anything wrong in relation to Jan 6 (or that ANYBODY did anything wrong on Jan 6) and who believes that the election was stolen from Trump in 2020. He also seems to wish that the south had won the Civil War. For the US Senate I have the choice of John Fetterman who is an extremely radical liberal and who seems to be unable to function as a senator due to his stroke earlier this year. Or I can vote for Oz, a TV celebrity who was endorsed by Trump in the primaries and won the nomination due to the blind support of Trump-loyal Republican voters. There were several exceptional candidates in the Republican primary but I’m left deciding whether or not to vote for OZ, a man who is NOT a conservative and who will be sure to disappoint.
So, I’m gonna vote for the local people, I’m gonna skip on voting for governor and hope that a conservative legislature will keep the Democrat in check, and I’m gonna hold my nose and vote for Oz with complete confidence that I’ll wish I hadn’t.
As I posted in a different thread… Want better candidates? Stop voting for terrible candidates just because they are republicans. You’re nothing more than a slave to the republican party.
If Trump announces his reelection bid on November 14th, and evangelicals support his candidacy, and he becomes the republican nominee, they are complicit to his crimes. Stop the madness. Break free from the plantation.
[T Howard]If Trump announces his reelection bid on November 14th, and evangelicals support his candidacy, and he becomes the republican nominee, they are complicit to his crimes. Stop the madness. Break free from the plantation.
“Sharper Iron”
You just falsely accused. Donald Trump is not a criminal - at least, not yet.
Ashamed of Jesus! of that Friend On whom for heaven my hopes depend! It must not be! be this my shame, That I no more revere His name. -Joseph Grigg (1720-1768)
The Republican Party does not and cannot control who runs in the elections. These candidates come through the Primaries as supported by citizens, not party officials. Most Republican Party leaders also decry the nutcase candidates, but are not able to keep them out. IOW, the Republican Party cannot give us better candidates. That must be addressed at the local level. You won’t teach anyone a lesson by sitting out the election, or voting for a Democrat. You can only influence candidate selection by active involvement at the local level.
Failing to support Republicans helps Democrats get elected. Please explain how that is better? With Democrats you get more LBGT evil pushed down our throats. You get zero control of the borders. You are assured of disastrous energy policies, high inflation, soaring deficits, liberals on the Supreme and other federal courts, continued racial discrimination in the name of diversity, higher crime because soft on law enforcement, etc. etc. How is this better for our country?
Politics is almost always a choice between less than fully desirable candidates. In many cases, my vote is not to support someone I think will do a good job. It is to stop someone who will further policies that are destroying America. For me, that’s not a difficult choice to make. Wise as serpent Christians look at the bigger picture.
G. N. Barkman
There is a lot more going on than simply “How do we want our country run?”
Hunter Biden (son of VP Biden) made millions sitting on a board he was unqualified for in Ukraine. A few years later, Joe Biden sees that Billions of dollars are sent to Ukraine to defend itself. Just think about that.
Our swamp is deep. And Trump’s “crime” was threatening to drain it.
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[T Howard]As I posted in a different thread… Want better candidates? Stop voting for terrible candidates just because they are republicans. You’re nothing more than a slave to the republican party.
If Trump announces his reelection bid on November 14th, and evangelicals support his candidacy, and he becomes the republican nominee, they are complicit to his crimes. Stop the madness. Break free from the plantation.
You think (and Aaron, apparently) that you will convince republicans to improve their candidate choices by… not voting. How will that work, in your mind?
I made many of the same arguments Aaron is making years ago. Some of those here who support that idea now criticized it then. People can apparently be convinced that candidates can be bad enough to not vote for. If Nancy Pelosi was the Republican nominee, she would not get my vote. It wouldn’t matter who she was running against. Neither would get my vote.
As far as inflation goes, Trump is also responsible. He employed the exact same Keynesian economic garbage that Biden is. I know, I know “yeah but the democrats do it more!” Trump did it more than any president in history including Obama but thankfully Biden is even worse so we have the moral high ground again!
[Dan Miller] You think (and Aaron, apparently) that you will convince republicans to improve their candidate choices by… not voting. How will that work, in your mind?
If evangelical Christians refuse to support a QAnon conspiracy-theorist, election denying quack or a notorious scoundrel, then 1) those types of candidates would lose “bigly” and never become the nominee; 2) if those are the only types of candidate the republican party puts up and they become the nominee, then the republican party will lose the general election every time.
The republican party and its leaders don’t care about evangelical Christians. They care about power. (Same with democrats and African Americans.) As long as evangelical Christians remain slaves on the republican plantation, the party leaders will continue to do what they do.
Break free from your shackles, brothers.
[G. N. Barkman] The Republican Party does not and cannot control who runs in the elections.
Follow the money. If the republican party doesn’t want someone to win a primary election, the money dries up pretty quickly.
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