Over the course of 2024, nearly half the world's population, across 50 countries, will be going to the polls to elect their governments. Making 2024 one of the largest and most consequential democratic events in living memory.
The UK will be one of these countries. This is an unmissable opportunity to tell our leaders about the world we want to see, asking them to take urgent action on the climate crisis, and refocus attention on addressing global poverty.
This page will help you find resources to pray and speak up so that our votes will ‘uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed’ as Psalm 82:3 declares.
I’m in. What can I do?
1. Pray
Whatever happens this election, let’s pray for all those campaigning and those who will be elected.
The Message paraphrase of 1 Timothy 2:1–3 says: ‘The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Saviour God wants us to live.’
We need to pray over politicians as people who hold influence and leadership responsibility. And crucially, let’s pray that people living in poverty at home and abroad are not forgotten during this election season.
2. Take practical steps to get ready to vote
The Electoral Commission has warned that as many as 8 million people are not correctly registered to vote in the UK and could miss out on getting to vote.
Register to vote now: it takes just a few minutes. If you’re living away from home to attend university, you’ll need to register your term-time address, and if you’ll be abroad on election day you can register to vote by post or proxy.
Help others to register: could your church be a voter registration champion?
Bring the right voter ID on polling day: The way that we vote has changed. Voters now need to show photo ID at polling stations. This helpful guidance for church and community leaders could help you share this vital information within your community.
3. Speak up
There are lots of opportunities to make your voice heard, before and after the election day. These opportunities are open to everyone, even if you‘re not eligible to vote this time around.
You might get a knock on your door during election campaigning, or there could be ‘hustings’ – public meetings where people can ask questions to their local candidates – nearby to attend. You could even reach out to your newly elected MP after the election to welcome them to their new role, or request to meet them at their regular constituency meeting slots. Don’t feel you need to be a political expert in your conversations: just share what matters to you as a voter and ask the representative what they’re going to do about it.
Here are a couple of example questions you could use:
I’m concerned about climate change and the poverty it’s causing around the world. What plans do you have to help the UK stop our contribution to the climate crisis, and lead internationally in moving away from fossil fuels as fast as possible?
I’ve been concerned to see how the UK's international development work has diminished recently. How will your party restore that work which positively transforms lives and enables people to lift themselves out of poverty?
We also have the opportunity to set the tone of conversations with people around us. People sometimes avoid talking about politics because they are nervous of it becoming heated or polarised. As Christians, we can encourage the debates around the election to happen in a spirit of respect, kindness, listening and inclusion.
Churches can serve their communities by organising hustings. Here are resources to help you do this.
4. VOTE!
At the last UK general election in 2019, almost one in three people didn’t turn out to vote.1
If you’ll be voting in person, find out where your polling station is and what its opening times are on your polling card, and plan a time in the day which will work best for you to go. Or if you’ll be voting by post, remember to post your vote by the start of the week. And if you’ll be voting by proxy ensure the person voting on your behalf is clear on your choice and will be bringing their ID with them to the polling station. A democracy only works when people participate, so make sure you get out there and vote!
[1] House of Commons Library (2023) Turnout at elections https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8060/CBP-8060.pdf
