Election Day is approaching, and the Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists wants to offer a simple but important reminder:
Please vote.
The decisions made through elections affect our communities, our congregations and the lives of LGBTQ+ people. They shape public policy and influence the communities in which our churches carry out their ministries.
For AWAB Executive Director Brian Henderson, voting this year also offered an unexpected reminder of what participation in democracy can look like.
Democracy in Action
After years of voting in Colorado, where his ballot arrived by mail and could be returned at a nearby drop box, Brian found himself navigating a very different experience after moving to a new state.
He voted early at a location serving nearly 4,000 voters a day and spent almost an hour in a line winding through the building.
And somewhere in that long line, he found himself unexpectedly moved.
Around him were people of different ages and backgrounds. Conversations touched on candidates, judges and the issues affecting their communities.
From one vantage point, it was simply democracy in action.
From another, it was something more.
People were showing up because they believed their voices should be heard.
Why Participation Matters
Elections have consequences for real people.
For LGBTQ+ people and their families, decisions made by elected leaders can affect daily life in deeply personal ways. Our congregations also live and minister within communities shaped by decisions made at the local, state and national levels.
AWAB does not take for granted the ability to participate in that process.
Our Baptist tradition has long valued freedom of conscience and the responsibility of individuals to discern faithfully for themselves. Voting offers one way to exercise that voice within our communities.
We encourage you to learn about the people and issues before you and make your own informed choices.
Then show up.
A Community Beyond the United States
AWAB’s ministry extends beyond the United States, and we recognize that consequential elections are not unique to any one country.
Our congregations, partners and friends throughout North America and around the world participate in different democratic processes and live with the consequences of decisions made within their own communities.
So wherever you are, when the opportunity to participate comes, we encourage you to make your voice heard.
For those voting in the United States, consult your official state or local election authority for accurate information about voting where you live. AWAB friends outside the United States should likewise rely on the appropriate election authorities in their country or province.
Your Voice Matters
Voting will not solve every challenge facing our communities.
But participation matters.
So does refusing to believe that your voice is insignificant.
As we approach Election Day, remember:
Your voice matters.
Your vote matters.
Your life matters.
AWAB is grateful for you.