In six days, we have the most momentous presidential election since November 6, 1860. Not since that time has our nation been so ideologically, racially, and economically divided. Our nation is in trouble. The global pandemic coupled, the shutdown of our jobs, and the killing of George Floyd has surfaced deep fissures in American society. The mainstream media has been culpable in reporting news that has only blown wind upon the embers of anger and disunity.
But you have a voice, a voice that could change history. Do you realize that in 2016, out of 122 million votes cast, Donald Trump’s victory came down to just 79,646 votes in three states? Washington Post’s Phillip Bump did the math about Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, “Trump won those states by 0.2, 0.7, and 0.8% respectively—and by 10,704, 46,765, and 22,177 votes. Those three wins gave him 46 electoral college votes; if Clinton had done one point better in each state, she’d have won the electoral vote too.” The 540 votes in Florida made the difference in the election of George W. Bush in the 2000 election.
Think of it this way, those 79k votes (.06% of the total vote) not only made Trump president, but it has changed the entire complexion of the Supreme Court. With the latest confirmation and swearing in of Amy Coney Barrett, the new court has a 6-3 conservative margin. Roe v Wade could be overturned in the next few years! Your voice in voting really matters.
Yet here is the big kicker. Over 33 million evangelical Christians did not vote in 2016! What’s most interesting is that 2/3’s of those people were registered to vote but chose not to.
The Church must wake up and realize the power we have at the ballot box. Do you understand that virtually everything you do in life is affected by politics? The kind of job you have, the kind of school choice you have, the taxes you pay, the cost of your groceries, the crime in your city is all impacted by who holds office in your city, state, and nation.
The Holt family voted last week. We walked into a polling station, cast our votes, and went to breakfast. It took about one hour. I believe that the Holt Vote mattered. May I encourage you to do three things in the next 6 days:
- Get a voter guide. You can go to The Road App and download our voter guide. If you live in another city or state, you can get a great voter guide at millionvoices.org.
- Vote!
- Take a picture of you voting, send it out to your friends on every social media platform you use and encourage others to vote.
Make your voice known through voting. It just might change history! And if you don’t vote, your unvote may change history too.
Voting and Changing History,
Pastor Steve
