Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
Should we vote in elections such as the upcoming US presidential election?
You have the choice to take part or not to take part. Both are acceptable. If you believe that voting for a particular candidate will most likely protect people in general and Muslims specifically from evil and be a source of good then you can do so. If you are unsure as to what is the best choice to make then there is no harm in not voting, except in a rare situation in which scholars and intellectuals, based on their assessment of current affairs, are in agreement that if Muslims do not vote then this will have serious negative consequences. In this situation it would be an obligation to vote to prevent harm from taking place.
Is it permissible to vote for a female candidate considering the statement of the Prophet ﷺ that: “A people who put a woman in charge of their affairs will never succeed”?
The same principle applies: if it is most likely that by electing a woman president good will be attained and evil will be avoided then it is permissible to vote for her. If this is not the case, it is better to avoid doing so.