We have answered similar questions like this before; in fact, we posted one in March where the inquirer asked, “What does the Bible say about equality between men and women? Should women be in positions of authority?” In our answer we pointed out from Scripture that men and women ARE EQUAL PERSONALLY (see Genesis 1:26-27) but the they ARE NOT EQUAL POSITIONALLY, for God ordained the MAN to be the LEADER in the home and in the church. We read of man’s “leadership role in the home” in Ephesians 5:22-23 and 6:4: “Wives, SUBMIT to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the HEAD OF THE WIFE…And you, FATHERS, do not provoke your CHILDREN to wrath, but BRING THEM UP in the training and admonition of the Lord.” We see his position as “leader in the church” in 1st Timothy 2:11-13: “Let a woman learn in silence with all SUBMISSION. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” We see in this last verse God ordained this from the very beginning. Adam was created first and God gave him the position of authority that He never gave the woman. We call this the truth of HEADSHIP and it is clearly taught in 1st Corinthians 11:3, “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, THE HEAD OF THE WOMAN IS MAN, and the head of Christ is God,” Again, this does not mean that the HEAD is superior PERSONALLY, but in the POSITION of authority and leadership he is superior.

If a woman is inclined to rebel against this role of submitting to the man, then she should take note of what we just read, “The head of Christ is God.” We know that Christ is the Son of God (see John 1:1, 14 with 5:16-23) and thus He is PERSONALLY “equal with the Father.” But when He became a MAN and a SERVANT, He took a place of submission to the Father (see Philippians 2:5-9) and in that POSITION He was inferior to the Father. The Father commanded Him to lay down His life on the cross and He obeyed His Father, as we see in John 10:17-18, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. THIS COMMAND I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MY FATHER.” It is in this context that Jesus told His disciples, “You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for MY FATHER IS GREATER THAN I.” Jesus has speaking again of His POSITION here on earth of being “a SERVANT in SUBMISSION to His Father.” If He was willing to submit to His Father who was His HEAD, the woman should also be willing to submit to the man who is her HEAD.

We had to establish this “truth of HEADSHIP” before answering your question directly. I believe, based on what we’ve seen, that the woman should NOT take the place as the leader of a country. She should be willing to let the MAN take that WEIGHTY POSITION OF LEADERSHIP. Some may say, “But what about Deborah in the Old Testament. Wasn’t she a ‘JUDGE over Israel?’” Due to the failure of Barak to take the lead and the spiritual declension of Israel, God made AN EXCEPTION in her case (see the story of Deborah and Barak in Judges chapters 4 & 5), but the GENERAL RULE would be for the man to be the leader and for the woman to submit.

Your question also involves the subject of VOTING, which is a controversial subject among believers. Due to limited space, I would recommend reading Philippians 3:20 and 1st Peter 2:11, which speak of the church’s “heavenly position” and our “pilgrimage through this world.” Then I would have you read Romans 1:1-2 and 1st Timothy 2:1-3 to see what we are told to do in connection with our government leaders. You will see that nothing is said about voting so we must allow what is said to determine whether we vote or not.  (DO)  (532.1)