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A Christian’s guide to voting

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With elections fast approaching, you might be wondering what it means to be a Christian in a democracy, whether you should vote, who you should vote for, and does it make a difference?

It can be a minefield, with lots to consider. So below are a few pointers to help you navigate your way in the polling booth.

Why vote?

At The Christian Institute, we can’t tell you how to vote, but we certainly think everyone who can should vote and here is why.

Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 speak about our governing authorities being put in place by God to restrain evil and promote what is good. This is to the benefit of all people, not just Christians.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:1

We’re to obey those authorities except where they forbid what God requires, or require what God forbids (Acts 5:29).

God’s people must encourage leadership that promotes truth and righteousness, such as when the prophet Daniel said to King Nebuchadnezzar: “Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.” (Daniel 4:27)

Unlike Daniel, Christians in the UK today get to play a part in electing their leaders. In our democracy, we all have the legal right to vote.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
1 Peter 2:13 & 14

Billions of people around the world do not enjoy the same freedoms we have here. We elect councillors, members of parliament and ultimately, the Government. So voting is a privilege and a serious responsibility.

Biblical priorities

Public policy is a complex web of ideas, and each party’s manifesto differs from the next. You might agree with a handful of policies from one party and then a handful from another. However, Christians can legitimately disagree on many of these things.

Christians will need to consider all the facts and exercise their own judgement.

That’s because while the Bible is absolutely clear on a lot of issues, for others it only provides us with some guiding principles. For instance, the Bible doesn’t say how to improve access to GPs, or how much students should pay for university tuition. Christians will need to consider all the facts and exercise their own judgement.

The CI focuses on areas where there should be no disagreement because the Bible is abundantly clear. For example, votes for abortion and euthanasia are both voting to break the Sixth Commandment, ‘You shall not murder’, while a vote to make divorce easier flies in the face of Jesus’ command, “what God has joined together, let man not separate”.

Who to vote for

Christians should be informed and prayerfully consider who to vote for.

There are two key factors to consider depending on where you live in the UK: 1. The political parties, 2. The individual candidates.

The political parties

You may find that your views – at least on the issues with which you are particularly concerned – align closely with one particular party. If so, this may be a good option for you.

If you’re in Scotland or Wales, you can find out the policies, and past record, of many of the political parties by using our Election Briefings 2026.

However, you may find that you struggle to find any party that shares your views on issues important to you. In these situations, it is prudent to do some research on the candidates standing in your area.

The individual candidates

Just as when you vote for a party, you don’t necessarily endorse all its policies, the same can be said of its candidates. A candidate will obviously share many views with their party but representatives do differ and some are prepared to vote against their party, especially on issues of conscience.

Find out who is running for election and contact them. Perhaps you will find one whose views match your own. It might even be the case that you end up voting for an exceptional candidate who shares your view on moral issues, even if they belong to a party you wouldn’t ordinarily support.

In some areas, believers can feel there are no good parties and no good candidates. They are left in what feels an impossible position. It is, therefore, up to Christians to prayerfully exercise their conscience in these matters.

Speaking to candidates

Party candidates or their canvassers may come to your door, phone you, or ask you in the street how you intend to vote. This is the perfect opportunity to find out where your candidates stand on key moral issues.

During election season, candidates are more open to hearing your views, because if elected, they will be representing you. Politicians sometimes comment, when voting on an issue, that the strongly held views of their constituents swayed them. So a positive conversation in the hustings could have a long-term impact.

If you do speak to them, ask if they are willing to raise your concerns in an official capacity if elected. If they say they will, you can hold them to this promise.

You might not have any candidates come to your door or speak to you over the phone. So you might prefer to be proactive and contact them yourself. This can be done by letter, email, calling their office, or on social media. Just make sure you tell them that you live in their constituency.

We must pray for wisdom and speak out for the truth.

So whether someone comes to you, or whether you get in touch with them, remember to keep things short but do raise specific points. And remember, you can also swap notes on them and other candidates and parties with friends and family.

Conclusion

There are many ways of being a Christian citizen but an election provides an excellent opportunity for Christians to be salt and light in our society. We must pray for wisdom and speak out for the truth.

Christians must weigh the evidence and exercise their Christian conscience when preparing to vote, remembering that: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him”.