I just got back from voting in my first election in New Albany/Floyd County. The ballot is fairly meager here today, with only municipal elections to be decided: mayor, county clerk, city council. The election across the river in Kentucky is shaping up to be much more contentious, with a hard-fought governor's race and a significant library referendum in Louisville. For me, today marked the first time I have voted on Election Day on a paper ballot - during college and seminary I voted via absentee ballot, and Wayne County (Richmond) had electronic voting machines. It seems a step backward in technology to vote using a paper ballot, or just an example of how funds are allocated differently, even in the same state.
Anyway, I did my civic and religious duty - civic AND religious, because the Catholic Church obliges the faithful to take an active part in civic affairs, including exercising the right to vote. As the U.S. Bishops say in their document, Faithful Citizenship, "In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation." Specifically, we are called to bring the principles of Catholic Social Teaching into the election booth: the life and dignity of the human person; the call to family, community, and participation; rights and responsibilities; the option for the poor and vulnerable; the dignity of work and rights of workers; solidarity; and caring for God's creation. In an off-year, municipal election, these values may not have as visible a role as in nationwide, general elections, but they should always guide our voting habits.
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