How Would John Wesley Vote?

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Sept. 24, 2024 | UM News

Key points

  • The United Methodist Church does not tell its members how to vote, but it does enumerate the values members of the denomination could consider as they make their decisions.
  • An election toolkit is available online as a guide, put together by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, the Baltimore-Washington Conference and United Methodist Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century.
  • Voter suppression is a danger with this election, Church and Society leaders say, and United Methodists should serve as poll workers if they can, to help prevent it.

The United Methodist Board of Church and Society isn’t trying to tell you who to vote for, but the folks there definitely want you to think it over carefully, with the help of information they are providing about United Methodist values.

On Nov. 5, Americans will elect a president, as well as some members of Congress and state legislatures, governors in 11 states and judgeships. There also are ballot measures to consider. 

“(Church and Society’s) mission is not to take positions on any election,” said the Rev. Kendal L. McBroom, director of civil and human rights at the denomination’s advocacy agency. “United Methodists are more than welcome to become better acquainted with the Social Principles and juxtapose those with the campaign platforms.

“Individuals (should) make their vote from their conscience and faith, holding to the fact their votes are, in fact, sacred.” 

The board released its Voter Toolkit: “Sacred Votes — A Guide to Election Participation, Justice and Social Transformation” on Sept. 4, with tips on how United Methodists can do their civic duty in line with the denomination’s priorities as set forth in its Social Principles. The toolkit was compiled by Church and Society, the Baltimore-Washington Conference and United Methodist Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century

John Wesley, Methodism’s founder, spoke out against the exploitation of poor people, slavery and other abuses. While the Social Principles are not church law, they are intended to represent “the prayerful and earnest efforts of the General Conference to speak to issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation that is in keeping with the best of our United Methodist traditions,” according to the preface in the document adopted by the 2024 General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“We share the stances that the church has voted on and adapted — be that criminal justice, reparations, education reform, civic engagement and all of those things,” McBroom said.

Other issues addressed include urging the government to effectively tackle poverty, climate change, physical and mental health care, addiction, war and promotion of civil and human rights.

It is illegal under IRS rules for the church to endorse specific candidates.

“We believe that prayer and faith actually can change things,” McBroom said. “And we also wanted to give people the tools in order to participate faithfully and rooted biblically, theologically as well as within the Social Principles and the (Book of) Discipline and doctrine of The United Methodist Church.” 

Voter resources

The General Board of Church and Society held a webinar on Sept. 8 in conversation with U.S.-based voting rights advocates on how to prepare, educate and engage people of faith for the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. To watch a recap, click here. To download the voting toolkit, click here

Church and Society recommends that United Methodists be “election ambassadors,” taking on tasks to contribute to an election with integrity.

Ambassadors are encouraged to help register voters and get them to the polls on Election Day, distribute nonpartisan voter’s guides that detail candidates’ positions on issues, assist voters who wish to use mail-in ballots, serve as poll workers and support local and national initiatives that “seek to protect and expand voting rights, particularly for marginalized communities.”

McBroom said the No. 1 issue this election is “political violence, political intimidation, voter intimidation as well as voter suppression,” and he listed a number of cases.

“In Alabama, individuals are being sent letters as if they are non-citizens and they are being purged from the (voter) rolls when, in fact, these individuals are citizens and have been since the time of their birth. … In Texas, Governor (Greg) Abbott has purged about a million voters from the rolls. And then, of course, the processes of getting back on the rolls has been a thing as well,” McBroom said.

If they can, United Methodists should attend and advocate at meetings of local boards of elections and county commissioners, who finance those boards.

“If you want an effective, well-run election, you’re going to have to have the funding for that,” he said. “What we’re seeing is there are counties throughout a number of states who have actually decreased this funding.”

According to the toolkit, “United Methodist election ambassadors play a vital role in bringing a spiritual presence to the democratic process, embodying the values of justice, love and community at the polls. … Their presence at the polls is a powerful witness to the church’s commitment to social holiness and the belief that civic engagement is a vital expression of our faith in action.”

Those who have the time are urged to sign up to be poll workers in their community.

The toolkit points out that the U.S. has successfully conducted elections during challenging times, such as the 1918 flu pandemic and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.This is largely due to the dedication of hundreds of thousands of poll workers and election judges, and right now there is a nationwide shortage of poll workers. Some have resigned after being threatened or harassed.

“This shortage can lead to longer wait times, polling location closures and delays in vote-counting, which erode confidence in our democracy,” according to the toolkit.

The toolkit offers sermon topics, along with Bible verses that support them, as well as book studies and ways to use other arts to engage the topic.

With tensions high and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol still fresh in people’s minds, there has been speculation that violence might erupt either during or after the election results come in.

“I can’t predict the future,” McBroom said. “However, no matter what the outcomes of the elections are at the federal, as well as some local elections, we can expect some type of kickback. … I think that’s just the general tenor of where we are right now.

“How do we live peaceably in the midst of dissent?”

Jim Patterson is a UM News reporter in Nashville, Tennessee.