The Candidates, the Issues and Church Teaching: A Voter’s Guide

A REGISTER SPECIAL SECTION: Thorough and in-depth facts and analysis on where candidates stand on issues important to Catholics.

Where do the major-party candidates stand on issues?
Where do the major-party candidates stand on issues? (photo: Register illustration/Melissa Hartog)

As Catholics prepare to vote in the 2020 election, they are called both to form their consciences in light of Catholic teaching and to be informed about where the two major presidential candidates and their parties stand on the most important moral issues facing the country.

For Catholics, understanding the positions of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, as well as the Republican and Democratic Parties, is essential in making an informed decision on how to vote. It is also key in helping family, friends and colleagues make an equally enlightened choice on Nov. 3.

The Register is pleased to offer this special section on the candidates, the issues and Church teaching. Each section includes brief excerpts on what the Church or Church leaders teach about important topics (e.g., abortion, assisted suicide, embryonic stem-cell research, religious liberty, marriage, education, capital punishment, racism and the environment), followed by the actual words or pledges of the candidates and the two parties. While the Democratic Party platform has changed, the Republican Party platform is the same as in 2016. We hope that you find this guide helpful in your prayerful discernment. 

 READ THE GUIDE HERE.