Post-Roe, election integrity assumes added weight for Catholic values

The U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade moves the matter of abortion back to the states. As a result, midterm election campaigns have become polarized platforms between the sanctity of human life and the no-longer-federally-justifiable “right” to obtain an abortion.

Faithful Catholic voters easily discern the significance of supporting a pro-life candidate but may require a larger leap to understand the importance of assuring the election integrity needed to uphold Catholic social values.

Because the fight for the life of unborn babies did not end with the demise of Roe, diligent scrutiny must be applied to each election contest at every level across all fifty states.

Elected office holders wield power. A governor can push abortion. Illinois’ J.B. Pritzker dangles unrestricted access as a bone to entice business relocation; Iowa’s Kim Reynolds declares abortion providers unwelcome. A state senator or representative can initiate legislation that either puts preborn infants at risk or secures them the protection of the state. Even mayors and county boards have leverage to shield abortion facilities or ban them from their realms.
 
A Catholic understanding of civil authority comes from Romans 13:1: “[T]hose authorities that exist have been instituted by God.” This underscores the need in a democracy to protect the vote, a means by which God can exercise His will in society.
 
Unsafeguarded elections can fall prey to the practice of pay-to-play. When “he with the most money” gains leverage over voting processes, a democratic republic functions more like a public auction. Witness occurrences during the 2020 presidential election as private “grants” allowed partisan activists unfettered access to the administration of elections in multiple states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona. Wisconsin’s five largest cities were paid almost $9 million to purchase illegal voter dropboxes in a deliberate strategy to extract a higher return from specifically targeted urban neighborhoods.
 
The Second Vatican Council urges the faithful to “put up a stubborn fight” to “safeguard the basic rights of man under every political system.” When that system turns corrupt, Catholic values demand accountability and reform.

Protecting the integrity of the vote is incumbent upon those who respect the rule of law. Because elections can be challenged, it is important to ensure the integrity of each step of the process: confirming the ballot, conducting the vote, providing necessary checks and balances to ensure a true, authentic count. America’s courts are being called into action for election integrity with the Supreme Court intervening in a Pennsylvania mail-in ballot dispute and Michigan’s secretary of state sued over alleged election bribery.
 
Vatican teaching regarding The Participation of Catholics in Political Life clarifies that when political activity comes up against moral principles, the Catholic commitment is laden with responsibility. Whether “fundamental and inalienable ethical demands” deal directly with abortion or with the integrity of the electoral process, the Church’s directive is clear.
 
As a Catholic, I am called to uphold the inherent dignity of man and defend the right to life at all stages. As an American, I am privileged to participate in the democratic process, electing those who determine the rules under which civilized society will exist.

For these reasons, those who value the sanctity of human life will find their work cut out for them. The example of the Wisconsin Election Commission, whose administrator authorized acceptance of absentee ballots under illegal circumstances, highlights the need for careful oversight over our election officials. In cases like this, it falls on the voters to call for accountability and, when needed, to hold the allegorical feet of such officeholders to the proverbial fire. It is truly a matter of life – or death.

ERICK KAARDAL is special counsel at the Thomas More Society (thomasmoresociety.org), a not-for-profit, national public interest law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty.