LDS Church Encourages Political Involvement

While there are certainly many Mormons deeply involved in the political systems of governments around the world (including myself), the LDS Church’s official stance on political partisanship is a neutral one. This is a long-standing position that the LDS Chruch likes to remind us of every couple of years when major elections occur.

The LDS Chruch also encourages it’s members to be involved in politics, and at the very least to cast educated votes. In an official statement released on October 5th, 2016 the First Presidency of the Chruch encouraged its members to “be active citizens by registering, exercising their right to vote, and engaging in civic affairs … spend the time needed to become informed about the issues and candidates you will be considering.”


In researching candidates the Chruch says it’s members should “seek candidates who best embody” “Principles compatible with the gospel”. However, it’s a bit late to register to vote or influence who will be on the ballots; which is why I personally wish these types of statements would be released by the Chruch when there’s still time to find and enlist good candidates to represent the various parties. Being politically involved one month out of the year is simply not sufficient to truly influence many political races; particularly in areas that are strongly loyal to a particular party. Failing to do so typically makes it difficult to find a candidate that appears to embody any of the gospel principles. Still, even at the last minute, we can find alternatives to this as well.

 

Also notable: While the LDS Church maintains a stance of political neutrality it still “occasionally posts information about particular moral issues on which it has taken a position” and maintains it’s right “of expression on political and social issues.”

 

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