Voting in United States elections ideally involves far more than simply choosing “Candidate A” or “Candidate B” when asked for your opinion. To make your vote count, follow the instructions below. Although many more elected positions are to be filled than the President of the United States, these instructions will focus on the presidential elections for simplicity. To be inclusive, the instructions below are subdivided into guidance for United States citizens and the citizens of Jesus’ kingdom. For those readers who are citizens in both, you will need to think about your priorities and the most effective use of the resources of time and energy at your disposal.
Citizenship
United States
Citizenship is automatic for people born in the United States. It is also likely you are a citizen if you had one parent who was a citizen before you turned eighteen. If neither applies, you can still check with the United States government to determine your eligibility and apply for citizenship. After meeting all requirements, you will need to take a naturalization test and recite the Oath of Allegiance. Following naturalization, you should be informed of your rights and responsibilities. Voting is a right for most citizens who are eighteen or older, but it is not mandatory. Many United States citizens do not exercise their right to vote, making your vote more powerful.
Kingdom of Heaven
Although frequently misunderstood as an identity that will become available only in the future, citizenship in this kingdom is available now. It has actually been available for over two thousand years. “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God saying, ‘the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel'” (Mark 1:14b-15). Even if we only date Jesus’ kingdom’s beginning to His earthly incarnation, it is now the longest-existing kingdom in history. The Pandiyan dynasty lasted only 1,925 years and the Assyrian empire ended after 1,895 years. Given that Jesus’ kingdom has no end, if you are still trying to decide which kingdom to prioritize, think of the big picture of eternity.
Registration and Party Identification
United States
When you register to vote, you have the choice to become a member of a political party. While this is not required, in some states you may have the opportunity to vote earlier in a party’s primary election to help select the party’s presidential candidate. In this country, party membership is very flexible. You do not need to make any donations or even agree with the party’s platform. However, once you select a party, you will be listed on a party’s membership rolls and will receive frequent contact to encourage you to vote for the party’s candidates. Pleas for donations, invitations to party activities, and requests to join campaigns as volunteers will follow. Although you do not have to vote the party line, your party identification is the biggest predictor of your vote. In other words, if you call yourself a Democrat or Republican, you will feel obligated to vote for that party. This also creates an “us vs. them” mentality and you will feel different from members of the opposing party. You may decide not to befriend, date, or otherwise interact with “those people” and will feel a twinge of jealousy or even hostility when candidates from an opposing party win.
Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus’ kingdom is open to everyone – “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all” (Col. 3:11). While on this earth, Jesus’ closest confidants included both government agents and revolutionary zealots. He broke down walls of political hostility between people whose political ideologies were far more different from those of modern-day blue-state or red-state residents. Some modern partisans in the United States attempt to build alliances across the aisle, but political polarization is difficult to overcome using only political science theory.
Information
United States
The ideal voter is an informed voter. How can a citizen find the facts about modern political phenomena? More news sources and forms of media exist now than at any other time in human history. Yet, allegations of fake news, conspiracy theories, and deliberate misinformation make it difficult to gauge the truth in any given situation. The time necessary to determine a candidate’s views, character, and record makes it irrational for a voter to give up all other aspects of life to become informed. Even when you do hear a speech or a campaign promise, you have no way of knowing whether the candidate actually intends to keep his word.
Kingdom of Heaven
The citizen of the kingdom of Heaven admits that it is impossible to know what is going on inside the minds of political figures. While it is not wrong to wish to be informed, we can put our trust in the King, who is all-knowing. We do not need to be burdened with the search for the unknowable. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33).
Voting
United States
With only two major parties, finding a party representing your ideals on every issue will be difficult. These parties form umbrella coalitions that provide a shortcut to making a decision. The goal of the political party is not simply to influence politics but to control government. As a result, the winning party needs to broaden its ideals enough to reach a majority of the population. Since some voters will write in other candidates or vote for minor parties, a party does not really need a majority – just enough voters to put the party ahead of the next biggest party. When your candidate tries to reach as wide a range of the voting public as possible, he will need to engage in compromises and make promises with which you disagree. Would you rather vote for a candidate with whom you agree on everything or find one that actually has a chance of winning? Your voting experience will likely come down to choosing between the lesser of two evils.
Kingdom of Heaven
The Lord knows the consequences of any particular candidate coming into office. Even evil leaders can be used to accomplish His purposes. Some Mennonites who voted for Nixon when he ran against President Kennedy and lost later stopped voting because they felt they had voted against God’s will. Later, when President Nixon ran for office and won, a Mennonite friend of mine voted for him, but regretted his decision after the scandal erupted. “…The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Dan. 4:17b). The Lord can accomplish His will without our help. Staying out of the fray allows us to avoid acting against the Lord or feeling guilty that we supported evil. The lesser of two evils is still evil. Yet the Lord is ultimately in control and their reign will be short.
Following Up on Your Vote
United States
The three branches of government can hold each other in check and balance each other’s power. Presidents can veto acts of Congress, the Supreme Court can engage in judicial review and determine whether the actions of a President are unconstitutional, and Congress can withhold funds from the other branches. Due to these (and many other) checks and balances, United States Presidents can never fulfill all their promises or threats. To make sure that your vote matters in the long run, you must not rest even when the election results are certified. You will need to constantly be on guard to ensure that any promises or threats are fulfilled. In addition, you will need to let the President know why you voted for or against his candidacy. All the President can determine from the election results is the number of people that voted for him. He will have no way of knowing whether you voted for him to push forward a pro-life agenda or because you liked his smile. A follow-up letter to let his staff know where you stand on the issues could help. However, this letter will probably never reach the elected official so you may still get lost in the shuffle.
Kingdom of Heaven
We can recognize the impossibility of holding elected officials accountable. Donating enough money or investing enough time to ensure they act as we wish is impossible. Another bigger donor or closer confidant could come along and nullify the elected official’s promises to us. However, we know someone more powerful than any elected official. Therefore, we can rest in the Lord’s care. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Prov. 21:1).
My Decision
Growing up within walking distance to the Pennsylvania Capitol and later living within walking distance to the United States Capitol, I was obsessed with the politics of the kingdoms of this world. I loved voting and being involved. Following one particularly unloving protest in which I was involved, I decided to remove myself from the hostilities of earthly political protests. I felt convicted and began reading in the gospel of Matthew that the kingdom of heaven is at hand but is not of this world. I decided to rededicate myself to this kingdom of heaven.
Years later, I listened to the counsel of my new church fellowship and decided to avoid voting. It was a difficult decision, though. The first election I skipped was when a neighbor was running for a local race. I walked past the voting booth but knew I wanted to maintain my commitment not to vote. The next day, I learned she lost by one vote (323-322). My vote would have made a difference! However, the next month, I met the woman who had won the elected position. I could face her without any hostility because I had not voted against her!
I felt very relaxed and praised the Lord that I did not have to bear the burden of making these political choices. Two years later, the 2016 presidential election took place. While my colleagues and neighbors were in upheaval over the election results, I felt a calm that has lasted even into this election. I feel no urgency to involve myself in voting no matter how high the stakes may seem! “Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: He is their help and their shield” (Psa. 115:11).