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Letter of the Week: Mormons who blindly vote Republican aren’t being good Latter-day Saints

(Jeremy Harmon/The Salt Lake Tribune) The Salt Lake Temple is seen in a long exposure night shot at Temple Square, Sunday March 23, 2008.

We just received our mail-in ballots and it got me thinking of how many people in Utah vote.

Many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints vote Republican, thinking this is what a good Latter-day Saint should do. In fact, it isn’t this way at all.

A message is read over the pulpit, from the brethren, before every election, encouraging everyone to exercise their right to vote and to vote for the candidate they feel is the most qualified. The message further states that the church does not endorse any candidate or political party.

I am a registered Republican and a very active Latter-day Saint. After researching the candidates, I vote for whom I think is best qualified, regardless of political party.

If you’re voting Republican, just to vote Republican, thinking this is what good Latter-day Saints do, you’re actually not following the council of the brethren and, therefore, not as good a Latter-day Saint as you could be.

Let’s take the blinders off, fellow Saints, research the candidates, and make an educated vote for whom you think is best, after performing your own research, ignoring hearsay and fake news.

Then maybe this state and the nation will have politicians that will work together for the best interest of their constituents and this nation can truly begin to heal.

Phil Lindhardt, Sandy