Not for the first time, this year’s presidential election is causing those who use Catholic teaching as a voting guide to feel especially conflicted, as both candidates are far from ideal by this measure. Pope Francis is betwixt and between, advising Catholics to use their conscience as a guide to pick the “lesser” of two evils.
Some Catholic voters have made up their mind, and they can tune out the noise until Election Day. Others are struggling with their decision and may not make up their minds until it’s time to pull the lever—and that group could very well decide the election. It is enough to drive some Catholics to their knees.
As one of those Catholics who has struggled with this decision in the past, I offer a few tips to help you survive the campaign season. This road map can be applied in any presidential election and is not meant to favor a candidate this November.
Prepare a personal scorecard.For Catholics who care about church teaching on all the important policy issues, some personal research and a scorecard can be helpful. Where do the candidates stand on pro-life, anti-poverty, immigration, foreign policy and religious freedom issues? Each issue can be weighted differently, in accordance with its moral gravity, before adding up your score. You may still decide to choose the candidate with fewer points, but the process can help clarify a Catholic voter’s thinking before stepping into the booth.
Split your ticket. Splitting your vote, by supporting one party in the presidential race but another party in congressional elections, may be anathema to party loyalists. But for the Catholic voter who considers all the issues, it is a way to express your will in a way that places checks and balances on your chosen presidential candidate. Neither major party embraces the full Catholic public policy agenda, so down-ballot candidates can play a pivotal role in balancing government policies. A split ticket sends a clear message: We want both sides to address problems in a bipartisan manner, not with extreme proposals.
Assess each candidate’s character and leadership skills. A presidential candidate’s personal character, and moral fiber, matters. U.S. citizens deserve a president they can admire, one their children can take as a role model. A candidate who is willing to lead, reach across the aisle, strongly consider opposing views and respect the rule of law in decision-making can be vital in achieving the common good—an important Catholic principle. No candidate is perfect on the character/leadership score, obviously, but the individual who leads the country should be reflective of the American people, and our values, as a whole. This criterion could break a tie on your scorecard.
Remember that you do not have to support the candidate you vote for on every issue. Catholic voters will not agree with their presidential choice on every issue, nor should they. But Catholics can still work toward a policy goal even if they vote for a candidate on the other side. There are many ways to exercise your rights as a citizen in the public square besides voting, such as attending rallies, writing letters or participating in coalition or community groups. A Catholic voter can also help recruit and support candidates who are willing to take political risks to support Catholic positions.
Talk to fellow Catholics. It is worth talking to family, friends and acquaintances about the election through a Catholic lens. This could help you understand other perspectives and measure your own thoughts against them. Even if you disagree or even argue with someone, this provides another guidepost for your decision process.
And finally, vote, even if it is a difficult decision. For some Catholic voters, neither major candidate is satisfactory, and you must “hold your nose” to vote for one of them—or at least say a prayer before doing so. As my father used to say, however, if you do not vote, you have no right to complain. Until candidates emerge that are more amenable to Catholic teaching on public policy issues, some Catholic voters may continue to have to choose “the lesser evil” of the two candidates.
If you just cannot stomach voting for either of the two major candidates, you can choose a third-party candidate or write in someone who shares your values. Your family and friends may tell you that you wasted your vote, but at least you may be able to sleep at night. In the end, you must follow your well-formed conscience.
Once you have voted, take a breather and await the decision of the people—a decision upon which Catholic voters will have a huge impact. The conflicted Catholic voter could also take this moment to feel relief: You will not have to go through this exhausting political process for another four years.
Note: The views expressed in this essay are not necessarily those of the Center for Migration Studies.
[Also read: “Pope Francis told American Catholics to vote their conscience. What did he mean?”]
