As the U.S. ramps up for the next presidential election, battleground states are once again under the spotlight, with Arizona emerging as a key focus. On September 18, The New York Times released a video exploring how the state’s sizable Latter-day Saint (Mormon) community could play a crucial role in determining the outcome.
“The Mormon vote is significant in Arizona,” reporter Kellen Browning points out. “Joe Biden won in 2020 by just over 10,000 votes, and there are nearly 500,000 Mormons in the state. So, if even 15 to 20 percent of them swing toward the Democrats, that could make all the difference.”
Browning also authored a deep-dive article titled “Trump Divides Arizona’s Crucial Mormon Vote,” published on September 13. In this piece, he tracks the sentiments of several Latter-day Saints in Arizona as they weigh their options for the upcoming election.
In one scene, Browning writes, “A group of Mormon men sat around a coffee table at a house in Mesa, Ariz., on one recent September evening, debating a scenario that would have felt implausible just a decade ago: Could thousands of Mormon voters, disillusioned and disgusted by former President Donald J. Trump, help deliver a key battleground state to Democrats in November?”
As political dynamics shift, it’s clear that Arizona’s Mormon voters may hold more sway than ever in what could be a razor-thin election.
In June 2023, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a letter to be read in sacrament meetings. It said:
Citizens of the United States have the privilege and duty of electing office holders and influencing public policy. Participation in the political process affects their communities and nation today and in the future. We urge Latter-day Saints to be active citizens by registering, exercising their right to vote, and engaging in civic affairs, always demonstrating Christlike love and civility in political discourse.
We urge you to spend the time needed to become informed about the issues and candidates you will be considering. Some principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties, and members should seek candidates who best embody those principles. Members should also study candidates carefully and vote for those who have demonstrated integrity, compassion, and service to others, regardless of party affiliation. Merely voting a straight ticket or voting based on “tradition” without careful study of candidates and their positions on important issues is a threat to democracy and inconsistent with revealed standards (see Doctrine and Covenants 98:10). Information on candidates is available through the internet, debates, and other sources.
While the Church affirms its institutional neutrality regarding political parties and issues, it may occasionally post information about particular issues that directly affect the mission, teachings, or operations of the Church or that Church leaders believe are essential to preserving democracy or the essential functioning of the United States Constitution.
Political choices and affiliations should not be the subject of any teaching or advocating in Church settings. Leaders ensure that Church meetings focus on our Heavenly Father, our Savior, and the gospel. For more information, see newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 38.8.30.
Sincerely yours,
The First Presidency
Russell M. Nelson
Dallin H. Oaks
Henry B. Eyring
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