We all know we should be voting, but is it really that important? After all, the Dobbs decision already overturned Roe, and we’re not even picking the president this year.
The United States has a surprisingly low turnout of voters, hovering between 55 and 60 percent in any given election. Why can’t we find it in ourselves to get out there and vote our values? Could it be that we believe one or more of these myths?
Myth #1: Midterm elections don’t matter anyway.
There’s a lot of hype for presidential elections, but for some reason, midterm elections don’t seem to matter as much. Nothing could be further from the truth. As powerful as the Presidential office is, he can—ideally—do almost nothing without the support of the Senate and the House. Do you know who is running for the Senate or House positions open in your state and district? What about the Gubernatorial or Mayoral races? These matter!
Myth #2: There are no important races this year.
With all 435 voting seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats up for a vote, no one can deny the importance of this year’s races. In addition, 39 states or territories are electing governors, and many U.S. cities are electing mayors. Not to mention all the local races and ballot initiatives that could have major impact on the abortion issue. Do you know who’s running in your district? These are the people who make the decisions that keep our local, state, and national governments running. We need to make sure they are the people who are going to truly care for the people—both in the womb and out of the womb.
Myth #3: My vote doesn’t make a difference.
We’ve heard this one before. Every vote matters. Every single vote matters. Every life changes the world in an unrepeatable and irreplaceable way. And so does every vote. If we stay home on Election Day, our pro-life candidates will have to stay home too! What we do and don’t do makes a difference, so let’s make it a positive one.
Myth #4: I can’t talk about political issues or encourage others to vote.
Untrue! While certain regulations may apply to what your pregnancy help organization can do, you are well within your rights as an individual citizen to encourage those within your sphere of influence to head to the polls. There is everything to gain, and nothing to lose when we encourage our staff, volunteers, partner churches and community supporters to vote their values.
Don’t believe these myths this season—vote your values instead. Generations yet to be born are counting on us!
Learn more or share how voting your values matters with Five Reasons to Vote Pro-Life this November.
by Jennifer Minor, Editor/Writer
