5 Steps to Voting in the 2024 General Election
FIRST: We want to ensure that you don’t forget to vote! Visit our elections page for your individual state and add the upcoming election dates on your calendar now.
If you haven’t yet taken our PLEDGE to PRAY, VOTE & ENGAGE, you may do so HERE. We will send you text messages and emails around each election as well as our weekly prayer prompts.
Find Your State's Elections Page
Electing godly leaders is a duty we have as citizens; it is a sacred responsibility, and it is one of the most practical ways we can love our neighbors. So follow these 5 Steps before each election, and you will be prepared to make an impact in your community for good!
The purpose of the General Election is to select the candidate(s) that will be governing at the federal, state, county, and city levels.
It is so important to remember some key points: whomever we elect for President will be hiring approximately 85,000 people in the Executive Branch, and will be nominating all of our federal judges and filling any vacancies on the Supreme Court.
Remember that Members of Congress and state legislators work primarily with their Party leadership – so it is CRITICAL to research what positions the political parties hold and what changes they are pursuing.
STEP 1: PRAY & ASK GOD FOR WISDOM TO PICK THE BEST CANDIDATE IN EACH RACE
We encourage you before, during, and after your research to ask the Lord for direction, guidance, and wisdom. He is faithful to lead you. You will have to choose between imperfect candidates during this election, so you must vote for those who most closely align with Biblical principles.
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3)
STEP 2: CHOOSE AND VOTE FOR THE POLITICAL PARTY THAT MOST CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES
Read through the Political Party Platforms — the platforms have been written by the delegates of that national party, and state what the party believes, what they stand for, and what changes they want their leaders to pursue.
We have created an excellent simplified resource for you:
THE CHRISTIANS ENGAGED BIBLICAL ROADMAP TO THE PARTY PLATFORMS
National Republican Party Platform
National Democratic Party Platform
STEP 3: PULL YOUR SAMPLE BALLOT FROM YOUR COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT. (IN SOME STATES YOUR BALLOT WILL BE MAILED DIRECTLY TO YOU.)
You can find your County Elections Department website by using an internet search engine such as Google or Bing. (For example, you can type in a search for "Dallas County Elections Department".)
Find the Elections Department website, then find the place that references sample ballots (this might require you pulling up your precinct information as well), and then print off your sample ballot or save it on your phone or computer.
STEP 4: SPEND SOME TIME RESEARCHING THE CANDIDATES IN EACH RACE ON YOUR BALLOT
If you spend 5-10 minutes looking at each race, you will be more prepared than most people across the country.
Look at the candidates’ websites and social media feeds to see where they stand on the issues. At a minimum, read candidates' ABOUT and ISSUES pages. (If they don’t directly say what they believe, that should be a red flag for you!)
Look at who supports them — organizations, groups, key endorsements, etc.
Look to outside sources for information on the candidates’ voting record and fundraising information.
First look at any information provided by the Family Policy Council of your state. They are part of our ministry family and are the ones on the ground who know the elected officials and candidates. The Family Policy Councils are working each day to make our nation one in which God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished.
You can also check out the candidates’ voting record, endorsements, answers to survey questions and other important information over at iVoterGuide. This is non-partisan information for Christians around the nation. Some states are covered more completely than others.
For information on candidates’ finances, refer to Transparency USA.
STEP 5: PRAY AND ASK GOD FOR WISDOM TO MAKE YOUR CHOICE
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)
To help you pray for our elections, we have created a free downloadable prayer guide.
Don’t forget to take our Pledge and never miss another election.