5. Other Biblical Issues at Stake

Voting is a function of leadership authority.

Voting signifies leadership direction that affects the whole congregation. It also carries the authority to elect or remove an officer. Since the Bible does not permit women to lead men or to exercise authority over men, they should not vote in any elections that pertain to men. Scripture is quite clear that God does not “permit a woman… to have authority over a man” (1 Tim. 2:12), and rebukes those who allow women to rule (Is. 3:12). The same is true of those who allow children to rule (Is. 3:4). Since congregational voting is a form of governing over men, then automatically a woman or a child should be excluded from voting. (See 1 Tim. 2:11-14; 1 Cor. 11:2-16; 14:34ff.). The definition of a man is a person who is “twenty years old and above - all who are able to go to war in Israel” (Num. 1:3; see also Ex. 30:14; 38:26; 27:3,5; Numb. 1:18,20,22,24,26,28,30,32,34,38,40,42-43; 14:29; 26:2,4; 32:11; etc.).

Voting is representational.

When the “men of Israel” choose a king, the “people” are said to choose the king (1 Sam. 16:18). The voted decisions of the “whole church” (Acts 15:22) were not made by men, women, and children. They were made by “the apostles, the elders, and the brethren” (v. 23). In other words, they represented the people with their votes. Their actions are treated as the actions of those whom they represent. Just as “representatives of the congregation” (Numb. 16:2) must represent the congregation when they vote, and just as “leaders of the tribes” (Numb. 7:2) must represent their tribe’s interests, so too the “heads of their father’s houses” (1 Chron. 7:2,7,9,11; etc.) must represent their families. This would ordinarily be done by men.