The Mormon Voting Conundrum

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and as such he was able to ask Deity what to do about current circumstances, many of these revelations are recorded as scripture known as the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C).

D&C section 98 was recorded on August 6, 1833 "in consequence of the persecution upon the Saints in Missouri." (see D&C 98 header)

 

Verses 6-9 teach the saints of the church to vote in favor of the Constitution of the United States, and "whatever is more or less than this cometh of evil."  It also says that we should seek for honest, wise, and good men to be leaders, and "when the wicked rule the people mourn."

For these reasons the LDS members are having a hard time deciding to vote for Hillary Clinton, who does not represent conservatism and is not honest or good, and Donald Trump, who is a little more conservative but he is still not honest, wise, or good.  We live in a wicked world, and Mormons might consider both of these candidates to be wicked.

 

And thus we see the success of Evan McMullin who represents conservative values and he is considered to be honest, wise, and good, or at least better than the other two options, but he is an independent so people think that a vote for him is a wasted vote (or worse a vote for Hillary!?).

 

You see, it's not very difficult to understand how Utah is in a statistical 3 way tie in the recent polls.