(OPINION) Upwards of 104 million people of faith — including some 32 million self-identified Christians who regularly attend church services — are expected to sit out of the 2024 presidential election.
They are likely to hold back from the Nov. 5 contest due to a lack of interest, according to new data from Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Center, operated by evangelical pollster George Barna. Voter enthusiasm, the study found, decreased significantly from 2020 to 2024.
“The research asked people who indicated they were not likely to vote to explain the reasons for that choice,” wrote the researchers. “The most common reason, offered by two-thirds of the non-voters (68%), was a lack of interest in politics and elections.”
More than half of survey respondents — 57% — said they dislike both leading candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump. And 55% said they don’t feel either candidate reflects their values.
Researchers reportedly believe that, if the survey’s findings prove true on Election Day, Trump’s re-election is less likely and Harris could more easily pull off a victory.
Barna is encouraging pastors and ministry leaders to use their positions to urge churchgoers to practice their civic duty by casting their ballots on Nov. 5.
“Pastors often seek opportunities to have a positive influence in people’s lives and upon the culture, and to help the community in which their church is located,” he said.
“This research underscores the fact that simply encouraging people to vote in order to fulfill their biblical responsibility would not only be seen as doing their job while helping the community, but an estimated five million regular churchgoers would be likely to vote as a result of that simple exhortation.”
Last month, Dr. Jeff Myers, an author, speaker, and president of Summit Ministries, appeared on CBN’s “Faith vs. Culture,” where he addressed the question: “Should Christians avoid politics?“
When stepping into the ballot box, Myers urged Bible-believers to consider “constitutional principles” like “life, liberty, [and] property,” because those “are the three things the Constitution said it’s developed in order to provide.”
He explained, “How do I support life with my vote? How about liberty — things like religious liberty and free speech? What about property? Who’s going to be most likely to think that people ought to have their own property and own businesses?
Because there are a lot of worldviews out there, let’s be honest, who say the abolition of private property would be a preferable state. So which candidate for any given office is going to be most likely to lessen the evils that occur around life, liberty, and property? … That is going to help inform my decision.”
While there is plenty in the election cycle that can be discouraging, Myers argued the Bible calls Christians to participate in the process, noting that, in a constitutional republic like the U.S., the people are responsible for forming and holding to account their government.
“Who are the governing authorities?” Myers asked rhetorically. “The people. So, in this situation — in the American context — if you are a Christian and you are not involved, you are literally disobeying God’s admonition to be obedient to the governing authorities.”
