To vote is an exercise in hope and in support for the common good.
It has been said that politicians campaign in poetry and govern in prose. It is certainly true that extravagant promises and self-promoting claims are the order of the day. That said, there are two slogans you will hear in these days, whose cynical falsehood is not only dis-energising, but more importantly risks degrading our democracy and political health: they are: ‘voting doesn’t make any difference’, and ‘they are all the same’.
First of all, voting does make a difference. Every vote counts. Your vote counts. Imagine living in a society with no elections, no democratic accountability, no contest of ideas, programmes, or vision. History shows that such societies are run by the powerful for their own benefit, while freedom of belief and expression are restricted, or even suppressed. Voting matters because it is how we hold our leaders to account and mandate what we believe to be important.
Voting also matters because all politicians are not the same: individual politicians, and political parties, differ in their values and beliefs, their ideas and priorities, their capabilities and judgement. It is true that powerful forces may constrain some policy choices. But governments exercise influence and control over vast areas of community life, and of the land we share. Their judgements and priorities do make a difference, through the legislation and policies they choose to pursue. They are those on whom we rely, not only to act wisely when crises occur and the unexpected happens – as it always does, but to plan prudently and with vision for a shared future in our common home.
The democratic system aligns with the Christian vision of the dignity of each person and our duty to serve the common good.
To be effective, democracy needs people who are willing to put themselves forward, outline their policies, and accept the judgement of the people in the ballot box. Recent months have seen efforts to intimidate and threaten public representatives. We have seen many politicians choose to step back from politics as a result. We should be grateful that there are many women and men who, despite this frightening and dangerous turn in public life, are willing to offer themselves in public service at these elections.
Christians legitimately differ in their political views: there is no Christian party that can lay claim to the Christian community as a bloc. There is no obligation on Christians to support any particular party. But there is a duty on every Christian to support the common good to the best of our ability. Voting in the General Election on 29 November is a feasible and responsible act of citizenship to support the common good. Taking the trouble to consider who offers the best prospect of advancing the common good rather than personal interest or advantage is an important exercise in solidarity with our sisters and brothers who are most affected by public policies. Identifying candidates who have the personal qualities and experience to be effective public representatives is an important judgement. The Irish electoral system ensures that personal qualities and characteristics do matter, since multi-seat constituencies and the PR system mean we can judge personal qualities, as well as party policies.
Like every aspect of life, voting is open to the work of the Holy Spirit to guide our judgement. To vote is an exercise in hope, and hope is a mark of authentic Christian faith – the great gift of the Holy Spirit. To express our hope by voting is to overcome the negativity and cynicism that result in political propaganda, and the devaluing of those who are different. It is to take a stance against the fear and lack of courage which generate resentment, hatred, anger, even violence.
Let us pray for all those who have offered themselves for election, that they will engage with the public and with each other with respect, and will in turn receive the respect of those they canvas. Let us pray too that our society will vote into office leaders who will govern the people with integrity and wisdom and serve the common good with dedication and commitment.
