Memo to Evangelicals: Your Vote Could Change the Nation

This article is the third in a multi-part series highlighting the annual National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention (NRB 2023) held recently in Orlando, Florida. Here you can also read the first and second pieces.

If more evangelical Americans voted, they could singularly change the course of our nation. Rallying more Christians to vote is the focus of the nonprofit, non-partisan organization My Faith Votes.

The organization was founded by Sealy Yates in 2015 to “reach millions of Christians to vote and stand for biblical values.” Dr. Ben Carson served as My Faith Votes’ Founding Honorary National Chairman, while Governor Mike Huckabee currently serves as the organization’s Honorary National Chairman.

The Daily Citizen spoke with Jason Yates, CEO of My Faith Votes, and Sealy Yates, the organization’s Founder and President, at NRB 2023.

Individuals who do not vote commonly express the belief that voting doesn’t matter and can’t make a difference in an election.

But large presidential elections – to say nothing of statewide, districtwide or mayoral races – are often decided by relatively narrow margins.

Over 136 million people voted in the 2016 United States presidential election; yet the final result was decided by just 80,000 people in three states – Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

And the 2020 United States presidential election was decided by an even smaller margin. Even though 158 million people voted in presidential race, the final result was decided by just 44,000 votes in Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin.

And yet, “in the 2012 election, more than 25 million registered evangelicals did not vote at all,” Sealy told us.

“The question was, why? That became the motivation for me to say, ‘Somebody should be doing something about that.’”

Sealy and Jason Yates are working hard to do just that.

Sealy told us:

We’re trying to get people’s attention and say that voting is a matter of faith. If you live and work by faith, then you’re going to take Christ into your community, starting with your family and then extending out.

Jason shared with us that the 25 million Christians who chose not to vote is equivalent to nearly 300,000 churches. “It’s also the equivalent of the eligible voting population of 22 states,” he added.

My Faith Votes has a threefold mission to call on and equip Christians to:

Pray. Activate Christians to commit to prayer for our leaders and nation.

Think. Gain a biblical perspective on current issues.

Vote. Get ready to vote in upcoming elections.

The organization’s four core pillars of faith are religious freedom, the sanctity of life, strong families and marriage and compassion and support for those in need.

“We need to motivate and equip Christians to be involved in the process,” Jason said. He laid out the various ways that the organization is working to get more Christians involved in the electoral process.

My Faith Votes has a number of volunteers and grassroots action partners that participate in its “Write Now” campaign. These volunteers write letters and postcards to Christian Americans who haven’t voted, encouraging them – and praying for them – to get involved.

Jason also highlighted the organization’s My Voter Hub, a voter platform that disseminates research on political candidates to help Christians make informed choices while voting.

“If we believe in Christ and His power to change the world, then our actions will reflect it,” Jason said.

“It’s a wakeup call to the church to say that we need to live by faith. If we do, we will vote.”

Heading into election season, use this opportunity to make sure you are prepared to participate in our national political conversation. If you aren’t registered to vote, the Daily Citizen encourages you to do so.

If you want to see if you are registered to vote, click here. If you need to register and are in one of the 37 states that allow citizens to register to vote online, click here.

Related articles and resources:

My Faith Votes Launches New Initiative to Engage Christian Voters for Midterm Elections

Are You Registered To Vote? If Not, Today is the Day to Do It.

Contact Your State Policy Group

Photo from Shutterstock.

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