“Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, for riches do not last forever…” - Proverbs 27:23-24

These days, our “flocks and herds” often look like stocks and mutual funds, not sheep and cattle. But the call to wise stewardship remains. One way we do that is through proxy voting. Jerry Bowyer joins us to explain how and why it matters.  

Jerry Bowyer is the President of Bowyer Research and our Resident Economist here at Faith & Finance. He is the author of The Maker Versus the Takers: What Jesus Really Said About Social Justice and Economics.

What Is Proxy Voting?

Proxy voting is similar to civic voting. As a citizen, you vote in elections, attend town halls, and even influence legislation. As a shareholder in a company, if you own the stock directly, you have similar rights: to vote on proposals, ask questions, and even submit resolutions.

But if you're invested through mutual funds or ETFs, you hand that vote over to someone else—often a fund manager or institution. And unless you know how they’re voting, your values may not be represented at all.

Many Christian ministries, nonprofits, and even pro-life organizations are unknowingly voting against their own missions. Why? Because they either don’t engage in proxy voting or delegate it without vetting the recipient’s values.

How Can Investors Reclaim Their Voice?

Proxy statements are often long, complex, and written in confusing legal language. For that reason, many advisors default to saying, “Just let the client decide,” rather than helping them engage meaningfully.

Of course, that’s not a good sign because if it’s too complex for the advisor, it’s definitely too complex for the client. Instead, we encourage advisors and Christian investors to partner with specialists, like Bowyer Research, who can help decode the process and ensure votes reflect biblical values.

They offer audits to show investors how they’ve been voting—often to their shock. They’ve never done one where people weren’t stunned by what they saw.

Mutual Funds, ETFs, and the Challenge of Indirect Ownership

If you're invested through mutual funds or ETFs, you're likely not voting directly. However, that doesn't mean you're powerless. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• You can request data on how your funds are voting. Bowyer Research tracks that.
   
• You can explore “direct indexing” solutions—an increasingly available strategy that allows you to own shares directly and reclaim your voting rights.
   
• You can ask your advisor questions. “How am I voting?” is a simple but powerful question. If your advisor can’t answer it, that’s a red flag.

What You Can Do Today

• Ask your advisor how your shares are being voted. If they don’t know, press in.
• Get an audit of your proxy voting records through BowyerResearch.com.
• Talk to companies, not just about them. Change happens through engagement, not complaint.

If you’re an investor, advisor, or leader at a Christian ministry or nonprofit, don’t let your investments work against your mission. Visit BowyerResearch.com to learn how to align your proxy voting with your values.

On Today’s Program, Rob Answers