Christian voters must be prepared for all upcoming elections

TUPELO, Miss. — With the presidential debates and election coverage for 2024 in full swing, many voters are focusing in on the upcoming presidential election. However, many major elections will take place before the General Election next fall. Americans must know how critical it is to go and cast their vote in these important elections — the primaries and caucuses — that lead up to “the big race.” How else can they be sure that their values are reflected in their communities, states and even nationwide?

iVoterGuide (ivoterguide.com) is the nation’s premier Christian voting guide, equipping millions of Christians across the nation with powerful resources to help them be informed on the candidates. The team at iVoterGuide, led by President Debbie Wuthnow, is dedicated to making sure that America’s Christian voters are educated on how to make the strongest impact for the Gospel at every election.

“Next year, everyone will face elections which will impact the trajectory of our nation, our states, our schools, and our communities. We can’t afford to be unprepared, and we need to prepare our friends who share our values,” said Wuthnow. “Primaries, runoffs, local elections, special elections… so many voters don’t know what these elections are and how each one is important. And if they don't know, they won’t vote, and they won’t make a difference.”

There are several different types of elections that will happen over the next year, all of which are vital in order for Christians to make a change nationwide:

• Primary Elections — For the majority of voters, the first election of 2024 will be the primary election. The purpose of a primary is to narrow down the choices of candidates for the General Election, whether those candidates are running for president, state legislator, or other offices. The Republican primary is a contest between Republican candidates that determines the Republican nominees for each office, and the Democratic Primary likewise determines the Democratic nominees. Some states hold jungle or “all party” primaries, where candidates from all parties run against each other in the primary, and the top two or top four advance to the General Election, regardless of their party.
• Caucus — In a few states, a candidate is nominated by a caucus rather than a primary election. A caucus is a meeting, run by a political party, where attendees nominate a candidate for the General Election. In a handful of states, one party will hold a caucus while the other party will hold a primary election instead of a caucus.
• Run-off Elections — In non-presidential races, when no candidate meets the criteria for winning (either in a primary or a General Election), a runoff election may take place between the top two candidates. Some states don’t require runoff elections because they don’t require a candidate to obtain over 50% of the vote to win. If they receive the most votes out of all other candidates (a plurality), regardless of percentage, they win outright. States with Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) also do not require a runoff for those elections.
• General Elections — In the General Election, the two candidates who were nominated in each party’s primaries plus any third-party or independent candidates will “face off” to determine who will take presidential office. In states with jungle primaries, it is possible for voters to have two candidates from the same party in the general election. Remember that many more candidates besides the presidential candidates will be on the General Election ballot! The General Election always occurs on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. In 2024, the election will fall on November 5.
• Special Elections — Special elections are held to fill a vacancy in an office. Sometimes the governor will temporarily appoint someone to fill the vacancy until a special election can take place. Many voters are unaware of special elections, yet they present a unique opportunity to swing a seat in a different direction.
• State Constitutional Amendment Elections — Some elections contain ballot measures (called propositions or issues) to amend the state constitution. Each state constitution outlines the structure and limits of that state government, just like the U.S. Constitution outlines the structure and limits of the federal government. These elections can have long-lasting consequences, as was recently seen in Ohio. If the proposed amendment(s) pass, they are enshrined in the state constitution and can’t be changed by a law. They can only be reversed by another election.
• Local Elections — Local elections include city (municipal), county, and school board elections. The local candidates may be on the same ballot as the November General Election, or the vote might be at a completely different time of year. For example, some cities in Texas conduct their local elections in May, while others elect their city council members in November with all the other offices on the General Election ballot.

“As you can see, we are blessed with so many opportunities to elect candidates who represent our values in numerous positions, high and low. But we are also responsible for what we do with these precious opportunities. That is why iVoterGuide was born — to help voters who hold Judeo-Christian values discern where their candidates stand so they can cast informed votes and keep our nation free,” Wuthnow concluded.

For voters who are figuring out which candidate deserves their vote, iVoterGuide.com provides accurate, up-to-date information on thousands of candidates. iVoterGuide.com is dedicated to equipping Americans to be informed, educated voters and is a one-stop resource for candidate ratings and election information. iVoterGuide.com is known for its accuracy and integrity in researching and evaluating candidates and equipping Christians to vote wisely and be good stewards of their citizenship.

View the media page for iVoterGuide.com here. For more information on iVoterGuide.com, visit ivoterguide.com or follow iVoterGuide.com on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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To interview an iVoterGuide.com spokesperson, contact [email protected], Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108