The Other Kind Of Voters Guide

Catholic Answers produces the Voters Guide for Serious Catholics (and the Voters Guide for Serious Christians), both of which focus on the moral principles that need to be brought to bear in voting.

There is another kind of voters guide, though: One that documents the positions or voting records of candidates.

I’ve had some requests for where folks can find guides of that kind, but I haven’t had good resources to point them to.

This morning, though, I got an e-mailing from Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, and I thought folks might be interested in what he had to say, so here goes:

    I have communicated with you and many others regarding tomorrow’s elections. You may also be among those who have been working hard to mobilize voters. Now, the moment has come for the voters to do their job.

    If your state has early voting, and allows you to vote today, please do so. For information, please visit www.priestsforlife.org/states/early-voting.htm. Take advantage of the opportunity to cast your vote today rather than tomorrow, so that unforeseen obstacles don’t prevent you.

    The big question, of course, is “How do I find information about the candidates?” We have set up a web page, www.priestsforlife.org/candidates, to assist you.

    You can find candidate information in several places, such as newspapers, television news, voter guides, and on the internet. You may also run into people on the street handing out candidate literature. Don’t refuse them, but take and read what is being offered to you.

    If these sources fail, you can always contact the candidate’s campaign to make an inquiry about his or her position.

    Frequently politicians make statements like, "I have always been personally pro-life," or, "I would never encourage a woman to have an abortion." Rather than offering comfort to pro-life voters, statements like these should raise red flags, as they are typically followed by, "but I would never impose my personal beliefs on anybody else," or some similar statement.

    Even in cases in which these words do not follow, they are often implied. In such cases, be sure to look for a clearer statement of the candidate’s position, again, in writing if possible. Moreover, don’t only ask what the candidate believes. Ask what he or she intends to do to protect the unborn.

    You should also look at a candidate’s voting record. This is extremely easy with members of Congress as you can simply contact any one of a number of national organizations, like National Right to Life, that track votes as part of their regular activity. They will be able to inform you how your Congressman and Senator voted on the bills that have come before them. You can often obtain similar information about state candidates from pro-life organizations within your state.

    Finally, remember that elections not only put candidates into power, but they put parties into power, too. In voting for a candidate, you should know the positions of the candidate and also the positions of the party to which he/she belongs.

    Some organizations have provided specific voter guides, and we have placed links to many of those at www.priestsforlife.org/candidates.

    If you have further questions about how you should evaluate candidates, please contact our office at (888) 735-3448.

    Along with candidates, there are also important measures on the ballots in various states.

    Detailed information is at www.priestsforlife.org/elections/state-initiatives-referenda.htm. Even if you don’t live in these states, you can influence the vote by urging people you know in that state to vote the right way.

    California – Proposition 85 – Parents’ Right to Know and Child Protection Initiative – Vote YES. See www.priestsforlife.org/legislation/proposition85.htm for more information.

    Oregon – Measure 43 – Parental Involvement and Support Act – Vote YES. See
    www.priestsforlife.org/legislation/oregon-measure-43.htm for more information.

    South Dakota – Referred Law 6 – Women’s Health and Human Life Protection Act – Vote YES. See www.priestsforlife.org/legislation/south-dakota-referendum.htm for more information.

    Missouri – Amendment 2 – Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative – Vote NO.  See www.priestsforlife.org/legislation/missouri-amendment-2.htm for more information.

    Additional reminders: Join today and tomorrow in the final days of the Election Novena; prayers are found at www.PrayerCampaign.org and my booklet “Voting with a Clear Conscience” is found at http://www.priestsforlife.org/vote/voting-clear-conscience.pdf

    OK – that’s all I have to say. Let’s go make November 7 a day of progress for the pro-life cause!

    God bless you!

    Fr. Frank Pavone
    National Director, Priests for Life

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live." View all posts by Jimmy Akin