One of the great privileges with which God has blessed us in American society is the freedom to vote. This is a God-given right that God expects us to steward for His glory. In Romans 13:7 the Bible says, “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom.” Believers have the unique opportunity in America to vote for candidates and policies that most align with Scripture and can most perpetuate the principles that can bring God’s blessing on a nation. As the Scripture tells us, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” (Psalm 33:12a)
Beyond the biblical mandate, there is a civic mandate for the citizens of this country to vote. Our government was formed to function of the people, by the people and for the people. Men and women have died to secure this freedom for us. Therefore, it behooves us to exercise our right to vote, however much we may disagree with candidates or issues.
As you prepare to vote this November, there are several resources available to guide you. Let me share with you three resources about which you should know.
First off, there is the 2024 State Ballot Information Booklet put out by the Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly. This is a presumably non-partisan booklet that presents the issues citizens will be voting on in Colorado, explains them in detail and presents the case for “both sides.”
The second resource I believe every Christian citizen should be aware of is the iVoter Guide (iVoterguide.com). This resource is compiled by a Christian non-profit organization that provide some detailed information on many candidates Coloradans will be voting for in this upcoming election. Most of us struggle with simply being educated on who the candidates are and where they stand on critical issues. This resource is a big help in being able to read the opinions of each candidate on critical issues. (On a side note, I am working on giving a detailed values comparison for each candidate we will be voting on in November that I hope to make available in the near future.)
Above all these other resources, the single most important resource we ought to depend on as believers is the Bible. We should evaluate every candidate and every issue through the filter of Scripture. No one candidate will align perfectly with the Scriptures, but we ought to seek to vote for candidates that most align with the teaching of God’s Word. So, I want to direct your attention to what the Bible says about the measures that will be placed on the ballot this year. (To the best of my ability, I will share what the Bible says first and then share my personal opinion on each issue.)
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to reduce property taxes for veteran homeowners who have been declared unemployable due to disability.
The Bible tells us in Romans 13:7, “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” It is right for us to give honor to those who are deserving of honor in our society. Certainly, this measure would show honor to those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedoms.
I will be voting YES on this ballot measure.
Amendment H: Judicial Discipline Procedures and Confidentiality
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to establish an independent judicial discipline adjudicative board to preside over ethical misconduct hearings involving judges and increase the public access to judicial discipline proceedings.
Being that this involves an arena outside of my expertise, I connected with a godly lawyer friend to get counsel and insight on this issue. This conversation was very helpful in helping me to understand the intricacies of what is being asked by this ballot measure. Here is the sum of it. Establishing another bureaucratic agency is never a good idea, and it certainly was not the original intent of our founders. This will essentially arm the government to have more pull and sway in the judiciary branch.
The amount of calls that come into the Supreme Court office is astronomical. Whenever a person doesn’t like the verdict handed down by a judge, they will call and claim misconduct. This is simply a ploy to try to get their way. The more we arm lay-people in this arena who have no experience, the more it is going to politically charge the judicial system.
On a deeper level, what this measure is really seeking to accomplish is to give the government more power to remove judges they do not like. Being that we currently live in a very liberal state, a measure like this will greatly put conservative judges at risk. Our founders were wise enough to infuse checks and balances between the three branches of our government (judicial, executive, legislative). The best way to ensure proper accountability in any branch of our government is to elect constitutional, conservative individuals to serve in public office who will hold the other branches accountable.
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Amendment I: Constitutional Bail Exception for First Degree Murder
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to create an exception to the right to bail for cases of murder in the first degree when proof is clearly evident.
In order to give an answer on this, I felt it necessary to talk to a godly, conservative lawyer to get insight and to make sure that I understood exactly why this is being voted on. The reason this is happening is because four years ago, Colorado removed the death penalty (2020). This means that our state no longer has capital offenses. This negated the ability for judges to deny parole in first degree murder cases. Now, they are seeking to put this statute into our state constitution to make sure that violent criminals are not allowed to be put back on the street. The burden of proof is placed on the prosecution to give clear evidence (not circumstantial) that first degree murder has taken place.
The Bible tells us exactly how to handle violent criminals in Scripture. Genesis 9:6 says, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” Truth be told, if the death penalty was reinstated as the Scripture mandates, this statute would not be needed. But, as it stands right now, scriptural principle endorses the most severe punishment for violent criminals. As a fellow believer put it, “This is a beginning for the restoration of biblical law in our society.”
I will be voting YES on this ballot measure.
Amendment J: Repealing the Definition of Marriage in the Constitution
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to amend the Colorado constitution to remove the ban on same-sex marriage.
The Bible is crystal clear on this one. There is no gray area here. God instituted marriage. He alone has the right to define it. Man does not have the right to redefine it. God has made clear that marriage is the union of one man and one woman for one lifetime. The Bible says, “He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh.” (Matthew 19:4-5) The Bible also makes clear that homosexuality is an abomination in the sight of God in Leviticus 18:22. God explicitly warns that He will judge those who violate His command on this matter. “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4)
The fact is, same-sex marriage is already legalized in our state. The reason some want this to be passed is because it will result in more funding going toward those involved in same-sex unions. For example, some insurance companies will not provide a spouse benefit to Coloradans in same-sex unions because of how our state constitution presently defines marriage. This measure would greatly benefit and encourage same-sex unions in our state.
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Amendment K: Modify Constitutional Election Deadlines
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to make the deadlines one week earlier for citizens to submit signatures for petitions to be placed on the ballot, one week earlier for judges to file to seek another term and thirty days earlier for local newspapers to publish the ballot measures.
This one was more difficult for me. So, I took some time to talk to an official from our county recorder office that handles our ballots. In this conversation, I was informed that there is indeed a major time crunch that is involved for those who put together the ballots. They have to get them prepared early enough to be able to send them to military members overseas. The official with whom I spoke indicated to me that an additional week to prepare the ballots and ensure their clarity and accuracy would be so helpful. The Bible simply tells us, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:40)
The danger with moving these deadlines up is that it gives citizens less time to collect signatures and file petitions. It would be better if, in moving these deadlines up a week, the legislature also added a week on the frontside for those who are seeking to file petitions.
Amendment 79: Constitutional Right to Abortion
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative by which they are seeking to make abortion a constitutional right in Colorado and to repeal the existing ban on state and local government funding for abortion services.
The Bible teaches that God alone is the custodian of life. “For in [God] we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17:28a) God alone has the right to determine when life begins and when life ends. The Bible also teaches that life begins at conception. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee.” (Jeremiah 1:5) This truth is reiterated in many other places in scripture such as Psalm 139:13-16 and Luke 1:41. Because the Bible teaches that life begins at conception, to abort an unborn child is murder. Among the things that God hates, the third one on the list is "hands that shed innocent blood.” (Proverbs 6:17) No matter what the grounds are given for an abortion, it is never right to kill an innocent child.
I am voting NO on this ballot measure.
Amendment 80: Constitutional Right to School Choice
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative by which they are seeking to establish the right to school choice for children in kindergarten through 12th grade.
The Bible teaches that the persons responsible for the education of children are their parents. The Bible says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4) Other biblical references that reinforce this truth are found in Deuteronomy 6:1-9 and Proverbs 22:6. Giving parents the choice on how to educate their children is how God designed things to be. This right should belong to parents, not to the government. School choice gives parents the capability to carry out their God-given responsibility to ensure a quality education for their children.
I am voting YES on this ballot measure.
Proposition JJ: Retain Additional Sports Betting Tax Revenue
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to allow the state to keep all the sports betting tax revenue and to use the funds to support water projects.
This is a lose-lose proposition. On the one hand, you have a tax revenue being refunded back into the hands of corrupt gambling institutions and on the other hand you have tax revenue being retained into the hands of the state government. Neither institution is trustworthy with these funds. The Bible teaches that gambling is sin. (1 Timothy 6:9-10, Proverbs 13:11) The evil of gambling has ruined many lives and caused much devastation in our society. Yet, two wrongs don’t make a right. While the Bible clearly commands citizens to pay taxes, we should never stand for allowing the government to take more than is necessary. Individual citizens and businesses can more wisely invest finances than the government can. This is really a decision about limiting government. To cave in to allowing the government to retain tax revenue in this case (as evil as an institution as gambling may be) sets a bad precedent for the future.
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition KK: Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to raise taxes specifically on all firearm and ammunition purchases and to retain this money to provide gun violence services and to teach school safety programs.
This is an attack on the second amendment disguised by a tax to generate income for a seemingly good cause. The Bible speaks to all of these issues. The Bible clearly commands us to pay our taxes. However, whenever we can see those taxes reduced, there is nothing wrong with doing so. Individual citizens can more wisely invest their finances than the government can. On the matter of bearing arms, Jesus encouraged his disciples to do so for self defense. (Luke 22:36) The levitical law teaches the concept of the right to self defense. (Exodus 22:1-3) The Bible also endorses the use of weapons for the sake of harvesting animals to provide for one’s family. (Genesis 9:1-3, Proverbs 12:27) Clearly, the Bible favors individuals owning and using weapons when necessary for appropriate purposes.
On another note, the tax revenue that would be generated from this will be used by those who do not share a biblical or conservative point of view to indoctrinate our youth with anti-gun philosophy.
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition 127: Prohibit Bobcat, Lynx, and Mountain Lion Hunting
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative by which they are seeking to prohibit the hunting of mountain lions, lynxes and bobcats in Colorado.
The Bible teaches us that God has given man the responsibility to take care of this earth. After God created mankind, He gave them “dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) As stewards of God’s creation, God expects man to protect life. Part of this responsibility involves the maintenance of predators. When predators are not appropriately kept in check, it causes devastation of other species of animals. (Our wildlife professionals do a fantastic job of regulating the animal populations in Colorado.) Furthermore, God Himself set the precedent of harvesting an animal to use its fur to clothe man. (Genesis 3:21) Thus, the Bible condones the responsible harvesting of animals for fur. This is clearly a political agenda and not a science based agenda.
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition 128: Parole Eligibility for Crimes of Violence
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative by which they are seeking to increase the amount of prison time a person convicted of certain violent crimes must serve before becoming eligible for discretionary parole. By this measure, they are also seeking to make a person convicted of a third violent crime ineligible for discretionary parole.
Once again, to make sure I understood the specifics of this measure clearly, I sought legal counsel from a godly lawyer friend. This measure will keep violent people in jail for an additional three years minimum before they can become eligible for any type of parole. On one side, this measure is needed to keep violent criminals off the streets. On the other hand, this measure will only end up costing our state more money to keep people in jail longer. However, it is much cheaper to keep violent criminals in jail than it is to release them and then go through the process of bringing them back in later. (Statistically, violent criminals are highly likely to return to jail for similar crimes.) The necessity of keeping violent criminals off the streets is far more important than the burden of keeping them in prison.
I will be voting YES on this ballot measure.
Proposition 129: Establishing Veterinary Professional Associates
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative by which they are seeking to create the state-regulated profession of a veterinary professional associate.
As has been mentioned before, God has given man the responsibility to taking care of this earth (Genesis 1:28), which includes the caretaking of animals. The Bible specifically says, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” (Proverbs 12:10) If God has given you animals, He expects you to take care of them within reasonable limits. While animal life is not as valuable as human life, we should do what we can to try to take care of our animals.
In speaking with some of our farmers from this community, I have discovered that there is already very limited access to veterinary care. Most of the veterinarians in our area are not accepting any more clients because they are already too full. Establishing this type of profession will give more access to veterinary care to the people in our state who desperately need it.
In the future, the type of legislation that will actually resolve this problem is to lessen state regulations an veterinary care. This will allow more experienced people to be involved with animal care without the threat of malpractice lawsuits. Under the guise of animal rights, the government has seized too much control in this area. The fundamental issue here is valuing animal life equal to or even over human life.
Because this measure will stand to lessen government regulation of those providing veterinary care and will help our farmers gain more access to veterinary care, I will be voting YES on this ballot measure.
Proposition 130: Funding for Law Enforcement
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative by which they are seeking to direct the state to spend $350 million to help recruit, train and retain local law enforcement officers and to provide an additional benefit for families of officers who are killed in the line of duty.
This initiative, while good hearted in nature, is too vague to accomplish its aims. The Bible does clearly teach that citizens must support those appointed by the government to protect us (Romans 13:1-7) In our state, however, this support already comes on the local level. The stipulations of this measure do not specify the time frame in which the designated funds must be distributed, which means that these funds could take years to actually be distributed (y the discretion of the government). Furthermore, the stipulations of this measure are not specific enough to ensure that the benefit of the funds set aside will actually be appropriated to all counties across the board. While it would be good to see a measure like this one passed to support our law enforcement officers, this particular measure is not specific enough and will not effectively accomplish the ends it is seeking to accomplish.
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition 131: Establishing All-Candidate Primary and Ranked Choice Voting General Election
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative by which they are seeking to create an all-candidate primary election for certain state and federal offices, where the top four candidates advance to the general election. They are also seeking to require voters to rank those candidates in the general election, and use those ranked votes to determine who wins the election.
This is a tricky proposition. If this just involved the first part where all candidates could be voted for in the primary, that would be one thing. But the addition of a multi-choice general election where the person with the highest ranked vote wins invites all kinds of problems, not the least of which would be more opportunity for voter fraud in the calculation of these types of votes. The Bible says, “Let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” (James 5:12b) As difficult as it can be at times, it is important to get behind the candidate you feel will execute a public office in a way that most aligns with biblical principles. That being said, in this sin-cursed world we will always be forced to choose the lesser of two evils. This system could work, but it would take much time and education to help voters understand it. For the time being, I do not believe the initiative is clearly lined out enough to have my support, though it could be a step in the right direction with the dividing line between political parties growing larger and larger every year.
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Montezuma County Ballot Issue 1-A: Public Safety Sales Tax
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Montezuma County legislature by which they are seeking to raise county taxes by one percent to support our sheriff’s department, county jail services and drug task force.
To better help understand the need presented here, I took some time to talk to our County Commissioner Jim Candelaria. Over the past two years, due to state-induced property tax reduction in our county, the county has lost about a million dollars in revenue. This has necessitated major budget cuts in our county. Due to inflation, this has made it very difficult to meet the basic needs of everything in the country including the support of the needs of our local law enforcement.
The Bible teaches that the primary role of government is to protect its citizens. In Romans 13:4 says, “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” The Bible goes on to say, “For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.” (Romans 13:4, 6) On the local level, our law enforcement personnel are the ones entrusted to do this on our behalf. It is our civic duty to support those who serve God on our behalf in this regard. While I am typically against raising taxes, I am for it when it goes to support the very cause which God Himself sanctions.
I will be voting YES on this ballot measure.
Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 Ballot Issue 4-B
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 School District by which they are seeking to raise property taxes by 3.9% to increase the salaries of teachers and paraprofessionals.
The Bible teaches that parents are the primary persons responsible for the education of their children. Some parents elect to use the public school system to uphold this God-given responsibility. This being the case, it is reasonable that public funds should be used to help support those who use this service. However, our current public school system in Cortez is not being managed well at all. There are major philosophical and organizational issues that are causing these issues. Though there are so many good-hearted and godly leaders and teachers working hard to help young people in our local public schools, as a whole, the system is flawed. It has been proven that more money will not solve the problem either. Wise stewardship and reform is needed to bring about the changes they suggest in this ballot issue. This is a high tax raise that will burden the public without solving the problems they are seeking to resolve.
What I would like to see in the coming days is the approval of School Choice (Amendment 80), providing parents with the option to allow the tax dollars designated for their students to follow them to the school of their choice (be it public, charter or private). This motivates schools to meet parental expectations for funding.
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Cortez Fire Protection District Ballot Issue 6-A
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Cortez Fire Protection District by which they are seeking to raise the sales tax in Cortez by 0.54% to support the operation of our local fire protection district.
In speaking with our fire chief, I was appalled to discover just how underfunded our local firefighters really are in this district. They do not receive any support from the federal or state government. Their funding comes solely from the citizens within this fire district. The firefighters are being paid far below the state average, their equipment is old and their options are limited. This has caused much turnover to take place within the department, as trained men are forced to move to other districts where they can better support their families.
To this issue, I reiterate the words I shared earlier under the Montezuma County Ballot Issue 1-A. It is our civic duty to support those who serve God on our behalf in this regard.
I will be voting YES on this ballot measure.
Conclusion
It has become more and more common for the conservative, Bible-believing people of this land to justify not participating in the political process. The excuses for not doing so are many. Some think, “My vote won’t make a difference” or “Our nation is just too far gone.” Truth be told, there is nothing exciting about rummaging through the garbage being forced upon us by our very lost and liberal state. There is nothing appealing about trying to choose from the better sinner either. But, as long as we live in a corrupt world, we will have to make judgment calls on the lesser of two evils. Often, we are not left with a perfect solution, but we always do have one that is more biblical than the other. As believers, we do not vote based on party, but based on principle. We are called to vote based on biblical values.
As a final word, let me remind you that our ultimate hope is not in an elected official or the approval of a law of man; rather, it is in the Lord. God is Sovereign over all the affairs of men. Psalm 75:6-7 tells us, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” God reigns over all those whom He allows to sit in positions of authority. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Take comfort in the fact that, no matter how bleak matters may seem down here, there is still a God in heaven whose throne sits higher than any other on this earth.
Our hope is the gospel (good news) of our great King Jesus Christ. No matter what the outcome of the election, we must continue to share the good news of Jesus to a world that desperately needs to hear it. Ultimately, it is the gospel of Jesus alone that can bring about the lasting change that our nation and our world desperately needs.
If you would like to learn more about this gospel of Jesus, feel free to reach out to me, and I would be honored to share more about it with you. (You can reach me at bruce.burkett@lbccorrtez.org.)
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