Kingdom Voting (Part 9): Primaries Matter

Primary elections are among the most important and least understood aspects of the American electoral system. Primaries happen in the spring, before the general election in the fall. They are the process by which each party selects its candidates for the general election. If you skip the primaries, you show up after the real decisions have already been made. Primaries are important for at least four reasons, and understanding each of those reasons allow you to better exercise your God-given authority at the ballot box. 

One reason primaries matter so much is that they multiply your impact. Less people tend to vote in the primaries, which means that your vote counts for more. Even if all of the same people vote, they do not all vote on your ballot, because primaries are separated by party. In fact, the less people vote on your ballot, the more your vote counts as a percentage of the total. This is how primaries multiply your impact.

Primaries are also important because they hold incumbents accountable. Most politicians tend to seek re-election. Conservative districts usually elect Republicans, and liberal districts usually elect Democrats, regardless of how well a specific politician actually performed on the job. That can mean that politicians who do a terrible job are continually re-elected because of party affiliation. However, every primary is a chance for the party to replace the incumbent. This means that informed voters can hold the incumbent accountable for his or her actions prior to the general election.

Another important benefit of primaries is that they allow parties to clean up after themselves. This is especially helpful in swing districts, where a bad incumbent is likely to lose the general election to the other party. Instead of suffering under a leader who aligns even less with their beliefs than the bad incumbent, primary voters can replace the bad incumbent with a better alternative. Frustrated swing voters are more likely to vote against the incumbent than his or her party. Thus, if the incumbent is not on the ballot in the general election, it gives his or her party a better chance to win.

Finally, primaries are important because they give general election voters better choices. Most voters have had to cast a vote for “the lesser of two evils.” It is a decision no one likes to make. However, primaries afford voters the opportunity to select better candidates. Good primaries mean voters in the general election get to choose “the better of two goods.”

Do the hard work of evaluating candidates in the primary so you can vote for good candidates in the general election. Research their backgrounds and platforms, and vote for those who will advance kingdom principles. This is where your vote matters most.