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Church leaders urge members to be educated voters
Jun 20, 2023, 11:10 AM | Updated: 12:18 pm
For Utahns who have a primary election to vote on, ballots are being sent out starting Tuesday. A voter holds a mail-in ballot in Provo on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022.
SALT LAKE CITY — The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a letter earlier this month encouraging members not to vote a straight ticket in elections.
Straight ticket voting is the practice of voting for every candidate that one party has on a ballot.
Instead, leaders ask members to be educated voters and to study a candidate’s position on important issues carefully. Additionally, the letter mentions the importance of members doing their homework.
The letter, “Political Participation, Voting, and the Political Neutrality of the Church,” stated that voting without careful study is a “threat to democracy.”
Furthermore, the church updated its “Political Neutrality and Participation” page and reiterated a commitment to political neutrality.
The church also encouraged members to stay respectful in their communications, which includes any posts on social media.
