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Posted: 3:01 PM-
Polygamists may not be able to hold public office in Utah but they plan to have a say about who does.
For the second time, a group called Communities in Harmony has distributed to the state's fundamentalist Mormon communities a guide to issues and candidates on the ballot this fall.
The six-page newsletter also highlights issues likely to be addressed in the 2007 legislative session, such as school vouchers.
The flyer lists candidates for Congress, the Utah Legislature, Salt Lake County District Attorney and the judiciary, and gives a one-word summary of their attitudes no response, negative, mixed or open-minded toward fundamentalist Mormons and their issues.
The newsletter does not recommend who to vote for, but does emphasize that many races are won or lost by a few hundred votes. "We can make a difference," it says.
Communities in Harmony is designed to foster interaction between the state's fundamentalist Mormon communities, said Carlene Cannon, a member of the polygamous Kingston family.
"We feel like we have a lot in common and that we should work together on a lot of goals," Cannon said.
As for political candidates, "they serve our families, too," Cannon said. "We have many politically active voters and we will hold the candidates accountable. We are taxpayers and contribute to our the economy and our communities."
There are as many as 30,000 fundamentalist Mormons in Utah, according to a survey by Anne Wilde, a co-founder of the advocacy group Principle Voices. Communities in Harmony printed about 1,000 copies of the newsletter.
Cannon said the only group that currently does not receive copies of the newsletter is the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the sect based in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., and led by Warren S. Jeffs.
The fundamentalist sects have no connection to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which excommunicates those who support or practice plural marriage.
Government actions targeting their communities have stirred new political activism in most fundamentalist Mormon communities, who see themselves as engaged in a civil rights battle.
Among those actions: State authorities have decertified police officers and a judge because of their polygamist lifestyles, although no one has challenged the status of elected councilmembers in Hildale.
In response, fundamentalist Mormons have picketed outside court hearings, held public rallies, opened a dialogue with government service providers and pitched their pro-polygamy message to the media across the country.
There also are various legal challenges underway, including a U.S. Supreme Court appeal of the state's bigamy statute that is being funded by fundamentalist Mormon individuals and groups.
"There is a greater interest in voting and taking part in civic affairs and political affairs because we realize we have a voice that more people are listening to," Wilde said. "We are interested in getting our equal, civil rights and we'd like to see people in government who will help us attain those."
Cannon said she attempted to contact each candidate, except judges, at least twice by telephone and once by e-mail to gauge views on polygamy-related issues.
The judges' ratings are based on their court decisions or treatment of cases involving fundamentalist Mormons or polygamy.
Cannon was able to reach about a quarter of the 450 candidates listed in the newsletter. Each was asked their views on polygamous families; prosecution of and decriminalization of polygamy; whether polygamists, like homosexuals, should be allowed to hold public office; and the right of consenting adults to make their own relationship decisions.
"The responses were varied," Cannon said. "Some people felt like the government shouldn't be in the personal business of consenting adults. Others were very closed-minded and felt polygamy should be prosecuted."
More of the open-minded responses came from minority-party candidates: Libertarian, Personal Choice, Green Party and Constitution.
"Surprisingly, there is a lot of support out there," Cannon said. "A lot of the candidates are simply scared to speak up. Many of them stated that they knew people from polygamous groups personally and that they are good, hard working people."