- Nearly 90% of Utah voters agreed a person’s commitment to God requires them to treat other people fairly.
- 79% also agreed that finding compromises between political and religious interests leads to better outcomes.
- The church recently asked Idaho and Nevada members to oppose ballot initiatives establishing abortion rights.
A strong majority of Utah voters, regardless of religious affiliation, agreed with the core message of a speech given by President Dallin H. Oaks on the principles of compromise found in the U.S. Constitution, a new poll finds.
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The leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered his remarks, titled “Faith, Freedom, and the Common Good,” at the Washington National Cathedral on Sept. 16 to a capacity audience of 4,000 people.
President Oaks has been recognized by secular scholars for his “civic theology.” Building on landmark addresses from the University of Virginia and general conference, he encouraged all to view government as a vehicle for healthy disagreement.
“‘Compels’ is a strong word, but it is exactly what the Constitution does,” President Oaks said. “It puts what we now call ‘peacemaking’ at the heart of the Constitution’s process for achieving freedom and unity, and fairness for all.”
What Utah voters think
Amid heightened levels of polarization ahead of midterm elections, Beehive State voters appear in agreement with the philosophy behind President Oaks’ remarks.
More than 9 in 10 Utahns completely or mostly agree a person can be considered moral despite having different political priorities than themselves, according to the poll of 547 Utahns conducted by Y2 Analytics and Public Wisdom.
Nearly 90% also agreed a person’s commitment to God requires them to treat other people fairly. Active members of the church were much more likely to agree with this completely than Utahns with no religious affiliation.
While less unanimous, 79% also agreed that “finding compromises leads to better outcomes for political and religious interests,” and 74% disagreed that “compromise usually weakens the integrity of religious beliefs.”
Utahns were more divided on whether the Constitution and Bill of Rights are divinely inspired: 69% of active Latter-day Saints agreed completely, compared to 35% of those from other faiths and 14% of those with no religious affiliation.
But voters were in total alignment on what the Constitution is for. More than three-quarters of active Latter-day Saints and those without any religious affiliation believe that finding common ground is a key purpose of the document.
Poll could present an ‘opportunity’
The takeaway from the survey is not that Latter-day Saints support the words of their prophet; it is that President Oaks’ approach to bridge-building resonates with individuals outside of the faith, according to Quin Monson, a partner at Y2 Analytics.
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“Being divisive can pay off with an easier reelection or avoiding a primary,” Monson told the Deseret News. “But I think that there’s also an opportunity for political entrepreneurs to begin to build common ground.”
The poll plants the seed of optimism that voters are hungry for an alternative to the demonizing rhetoric of “loud voices” on the left and right flooding social media algorithms and campaign advertisements, Monson said.
The speech also stands in contrast to a strain of “Christian nationalism,” popular in some conservative circles, that seeks to have “Christian domination of government and society” to the exclusion of other identities, Monson said.
Taking a stand on abortion
Recent announcements demonstrate compromise does not need to come at the expense of deeply held beliefs.
This month, the church’s U.S. Central and Southwest Area presidencies sent letters to congregations in Idaho and Nevada requesting members to “voice their opposition” to ballot initiatives that would establish a right to abortion.
The Church of Jesus Christ maintains a political neutrality policy in individual races for office, but it regularly states that it reserves the right to weigh in on matters of morality, like it has on abortion and same-sex marriage.
Some may find a tension between President Oaks’ call for compromise and the church’s unflinching opposition to elective abortion. But Monson doesn’t see the two statements from leadership as being in conflict.
“There’s no call in his speech to sacrifice deeply held principles,” Monson said. “There’s a call to have a conversation and to talk with political opponents.”
The survey of Utah voters was conducted between Sept. 17-21. Monson clarified that the poll questions were written prior to President Oaks’ speech, but were selected to represent ideas that President Oaks included in his remarks.
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