Biblical Voter Guide 2025

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.

Beyond the biblical mandate, there is a civic mandate for the citizens of this country to vote. Our government was formed to function by citizen participation. Men and women have died to secure to us this freedom. 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 2025 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.” You must use discernment in reading this booklet, as there are many voices that seek to intentionally mislead you or distract you from the real issue that is being considered with each measure.

The second resource I believe every Christian, conservative citizen should be aware of is our local School Board Election Guide put together by the Truth and Liberty Coalition. This non-partisan organization asked each one of the local candidates being considered for the 2025 school board election where they stand on five basic moral issues that will impact the development of our young people. These issues include the promotion of transgenderism, participation of boys in girls’ sports, sex education, parental rights and the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) to our youth. As believers we want to exercise every effort to ensure that the people we are voting for will stand for the basic principles of morality upon which our nation was founded. This resource will aid you in doing so. Attached is a copy of this resource. If desired, I can also send over a PDF copy to you. (bruce.burkett@lbccortez.org)

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. 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.)

Proposition LL: Retain and Spend State Revenues Exceeding the Estimate for Proposition FF

This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to raise taxes by allowing the state to keep tax revenue from some of our citizens and not refund it.While the Bible clearly commands citizens to pay taxes (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:7), 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 aboutlimiting government. To allow the government to retain tax revenue in this case sets a bad precedent for the future.

Be wary of thee deceptive manner in which they are seeking to retain this tax revenue from our citizens. On the one hand, they make it seem so appealing by claiming that they will use the funds to pay for the Healthy School Meals program. The truth is that the State received over $100.7 million in tax revenue, which was all spent on something. Obviously paying for school meals was not as highly prioritized as many other things. To claim that they need the extra $12.4 million for this purpose is misleading. The state needs to be required by its citizens to live within its means. Also, parents are the ones primarily responsible for feeding their children — and we can do it much better than the government. Limited funds are needed to provide food to those who are actually in need.

A second deceptive aspect of this proposition is that it is a concealed way of attacking our TABOR rights (The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights) as citizens. If we allow the government to begin to overtax some citizens, they are just a step away from overtaxing all citizens. Limiting the reach of government and holding them accountable to only fulfill their intended purposes is our responsibility as citizens.

I will be voting NO on this ballot proposition.

Proposition MM: Increase State Taxes for School Meals and Food Assistance Programs

This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature by which they are seeking to allow the

state to increase taxes for households earning more than $300,000 annually.

For precisely the reasons expressed above in the explanation given for Proposition LL, this is a bad

proposition.

I will be voting NO on this ballot proposition.

Cortez Cemetery District Ballot Issue 6A

This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Cortez Cemetery District by which they are seeking to raise property taxes to .89 percent (that is the existing .351 percent plus and additional .539 percent) to support capital improvements to district property, general maintenance needs and district equipment needs. This ballot measure also essentially asks citizens to waive their TABOR rights and allow the district to retain any tax dollars raised and not have to turn them back over to the state.

First, in case you didn’t know, this is just for our local cemetery in Cortez. It is operated totally independent of the county and city governance. That being the case, they must raise their own funding to support the work they do for this community.

To gain more understanding about this issue, I spoke with several representatives from the Cortez Cemetery District. They informed me that the district has been operating on a very tight budget for years. This has limited what they are able to do in seeking to provide a quality cemetery for this community. The limited budget has required them to “get by” with very old equipment, hire only part-time individuals who can often be unreliable when needed and limit the prospects of future expansion. There are real needs behind why they are asking the citizens to offer them more support.

Though there is legitimacy to this need, there are several things to consider with this ballot measure. First off, it is a substantial tax increase. A property valued at $300,000 would go from paying $105 a year to $267 a year in this property tax alone. While the Bible clearly instructs citizens to pay taxes, we should never stand for allowing the government to take more than is necessary. Each citizen must determine in casting their vote if what this government agency is asking for fits within the scope of what is needed to provide this service to our community.

Secondly, each citizen must evaluate the importance of having a quality cemetery available for our loved ones after they have passed away. The Bible is also clear about the importance of giving our loved ones a proper burial. (Genesis 23:4) The tomb is a reminder of the memory of our loved ones. For believers it is also a symbol of the hope of the resurrection that is yet to come. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) Having a nice cemetery is a blessing to any community to preserve these important biblical values.

Because I do not believe it was made specifically clear how these additional funds will be used to serve our community, I will be voting NO on this ballot proposition. But, I would support it in future years if more transparency is offered.

Montezuma County Water District No. 1 Ballot Issue 6B

This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Montezuma County Water District by which they are seeking to remove the 5.25 percent state mandated limitation on property taxes. This ballot measure also asks citizens to allow the county to retain any tax dollars raised over the state mandated limitation.

If you read the explanations above, it should be perfectly clear where the Bible stands on the issue of raised taxes. This one is even more disconcerting in that these efforts are being made without even listing any reason whatsoever for why they are seeking more tax money. The lack of clarity in explaining the need for this measure is unacceptable. As citizens, we must hold the government accountable and fight to ensure they are operating within their God-given limitations.

I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.

Mancos School District RE-6 Ballot Issue 4A

This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Mancos School District by which they are seeking to raise the property tax in Mancos by $600,000 to support improvements to student education.

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, this public school system in Mancos 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 years is the approval of School Choice, 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 all schools to meet parental expectations for education in order to receive funding.

I won’t be voting on this ballot measure as I do not live in Mancos, but if I were I would vote NO.

Conclusion

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. (bruce.burkett@lbccortez.org)