By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
February 9, 2024
North Carolina’s primary elections are set for March 5. Are you ready?
Sadly, an estimated 15 million Christians across the nation are not even registered to vote.
“Two-thirds of Christians vote — obeying Christ’s command to be salt and light in our world. But a significant minority won’t, choosing to hide their heads in the sand and avoid politics rather than bring the light of their Christian influence into the darkened corners of culture. But that’s precisely the environment into which Christ calls us to take the hope of the gospel,” wrote Jason Yates, CEO of My Faith Votes, in a recent editorial.
Baptist Press says evangelicals have a “pitiful record” when it comes to voting, noting that over the last three decades, on average roughly half of those eligible to cast a ballot made the effort to do so.
The Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, says Christians in North Carolina should be especially compelled to vote this year because so many seats are up for grabs. Roughly 10 percent of state lawmakers are vacating their posts, as are more than a fourth of Congressional incumbents.
Whether you plan to cast your ballot on March 5 or to take advantage of early voting between Feb. 15 and March 2, scroll down for five things you need to know before you go. And if you haven’t decided whether you even want to participate in the primaries, first check out these five reasons that you should.
Why Christians should vote
- Governments are established by God. Voting is one way that we submit to the authority of the political system as described in the first seven verses of Romans 13.
- As Christians, we should want to better our community and the society we live in, even though we are sojourners in a foreign land. 1 Peter 2: 9-17 speaks to this.
- We are commanded to pray for our leaders in 1Timothy 2. Voting shows that we care deeply about who fills those roles.
- Representative democracies like the United States don’t function unless people vote. Few would argue that as Christians we reap the benefits of living here, so we should play a part in upholding our republic.
- Christians are to be good stewards of our resources. Voting is one of those. We should not refuse to vote simply because we don’t see an ideal candidate on the ballot. If you believe that all the candidates in a race are so morally bereft that you cannot in good conscience support one of them, you may choose to exercise the write-in option on your ballot and insert the name of someone you do believe is worthy of the office.
Know before you go
- Understand how primaries work. During these elections, you will help choose which candidates your party should nominate to appear on the general election ballot on Nov. 5. If you are not affiliated with a political party, you will be asked which party’s ballot you want when you check in at your polling place.
- Check your registration. Use the North Carolina Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool to ensure that you are registered and that your information is up to date. If you are not registered or need to update your information, you will need to take part in early voting, during which same-day registration is allowed. You will be able to update your name or address within the same county if necessary on that day. Only registered voters can vote on Election Day.
- Confirm your polling place. The Voter Search tool will tell you where you can cast your ballot on Election Day. Note where the early voting sites are in your county, since they are fewer and centralized locations.
- Download and review your sample ballot. This is the only way to know for sure which races you’ll be voting on. Use this tool to find your ballot. You may even practice making your choices and print out a sheet that shows them. The ballot is just a sample and cannot be used to vote, but you can take it with you into the poll as a guide. Also, keep in mind that the ballot was finalized and printed several months prior to the vote, so it may include candidates who have since announced their departure from the race. This is especially true in the presidential primary. Before you head out to vote, check a reliable news source to make sure of which candidates are still seeking that office.
- Remember to take your photo ID. You’ll be asked to show this when you check in to vote. Here is info on what IDs are acceptable. If you do not have a photo ID, you can get one for free at your local Board of Elections between now and March 1. Here’s how.