Topic: Voting, Matches 26 quotes.

We must have leadership in this nation whose voice will be clear; whose virtue, clarity, and certainty will give us the assurance that the course the government pursued under their leadership is right. Then we can put our whole heart and soul back of our government and sustain those who preside in government and feel toward them even as we do toward those who have been divinely chosen to guide and direct the affairs of the Church.

I hope and pray, my brethren and sisters, that we will not feel that politics has become so degraded that we are too good to participate. If any of us believe politics to be in that kind of state, we need only to enter into politics, go into it with our honesty and our integrity and our devotion to truth and to righteousness, and the standards will be raised. We cannot expect in this country a better government than the leaders are good, and so if we want a good government we must have good leaders. Let us participate in our mass meetings, in our party organization meetings, in our conventions; then when we go to the polls, we may have somebody worthy of our vote on our tickets.

May the Lord bless us to uphold and sustain the great Constitution of this nation and to maintain ourselves pure and unspotted from the sins of the world in all of our undertakings, and call down the blessings of our Heavenly Father upon us and upon our neighbors.

Source: Elder Henry D. Moyle
General Conference, April 1952

Topics: Leadership; Voting

Some of the Privileges of Citizenship

Some time ago I was in court where there were a number of people being examined as to their qualifications to become citizens of this great country of ours. The judge asked one of the men this question: “What can you receive as a citizen of this country that you cannot receive without being a citizen?” As an alien, a man could reside in our country, could move about in freedom from place to place, could have the advantages of our schools, could have police protection for himself and family and his business, irrespective of the fact that he was not a citizen. But with all these privileges, he was always an alien, having no part in the feeling and enthusiasm and love of country that belong to us as citizens. One all-important thing that he was unable to enjoy was the right of suffrage—the right to vote and to participate in the government, in its laws and regulations. He could not go out and represent or speak officially for the country or for the officers who might be elected. Therefore, he failed to have one of the great things we value so much.

Source: Elder John H. Taylor
General Conference, April 1945

Topics: Citizenship; Voting

Power In The Priesthood

We have the Priesthood of Almighty God, and if we are righteous and magnify it, and exercise it, there is no limit to what we can accomplish in the way of good, no matter how great are the mere numbers arrayed against us.

I pray that we may magnify the Priesthood, that we may have vision, that we may not be led astray by mere names, that we shall be able intelligently to examine governmental procedures, and that bringing our judgment to the matter of government, we shall have wisdom and unusual discernment in selecting men for office who will stand for government that is compatible with the gospel.

I have not heard of it, but I hope that in some of our international conferences the men who are our leaders are big enough to get down on their knees and ask for divine guidance. I have not heard that it was done at Casablanca; I have not heard that it was done at Washington; I have not heard that it was done in Quebec. It may have been. I hope it was. But when we can have men who realize that the solution to our problems must be in terms of the word of the Lord, then shall we have just government; then can we fight a just battle.

Source: Elder Joseph F. Smith
General Conference, October 1943

Topics: Christianity; Leadership; Responsibility; Voting

I think the business men are largely to blame for these chaotic conditions. The Lord says: “Search out good and wise men”—not of any party; not of any church, but search out these good men and put them in charge of our civil affairs. But if you ask a business man to run for office, he becomes a Pharisee, a political Pharisee. He says: “I don’t like to enter into the slime of politics.” But who has made it a slime? The men who were unworthy to hold office. Business men say: “We can’t be elected.” Well, when, in the name of heaven, will you be any stronger? Why not enter the conflict? There ought to be common ground where good and wise men may stand, and their influence will be felt at headquarters in Washington.

Source: Elder Charles A. Callis
General Conference, October 1941

Topics: Politics; Voting

I now appeal to you and to all other good citizens to unite and help enforce the laws which have been enacted for the regulation of the liquor traffic. I appeal for the election to office in every branch of our government those who live in accordance with the law and those who favor its enforcement. Will you be good citizens and go to the primaries and to the polls and help as best you can to see to it that no one is elected to public office who owes allegiance to the liquor traffic or to any of its allied evils?

Source: Elder Richard R. Lyman
General Conference, October 1935

Topics: Law; Prohibition; Voting

The condition of our country with respect to lawlessness and anarchy is such that John J. Pershing says, “We are at war!” that the conditions confronting the United States today are more serious than those we faced in France. (American Magazine, June, 1932, p. 15.)

Vote Only For Those Who Respect The Law

I appeal to you in this serious hour, when “we are at war,” when the conditions confronting us are more serious than those we faced in France, to cast your ballots for those candidates only who are law abiding, who have real respect for the law and who want it enforced. If the people of the country generally will vote for law breakers, if they will elect such men to public office, then with certainty will government of the people, by the people and for the people vanish from the earth.

Source: Elder Richard R. Lyman
General Conference, October 1932

Topics: Law, Respect For; Voting

Stand For America

I appeal to you now, during this heated political contest, regardless of party, partisanship or politics to stand for America; to stand for the Constitution of the United States; to cast your vote only for those who bare the character, the manhood, the stamina to live the law: vote only for those who when they take that sacred, that solemn oath of office which says that they will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States will have the honor, the integrity, and enough of the genuine spirit of America to live in accordance with that pledge. I appeal to you to vote only for those who really live in accordance with our laws and who, if elected, will do their best to have the law enforced.

Source: Elder Richard R. Lyman
General Conference, October 1932

Topics: Voting

I Stand With Leaders

I stand with Lincoln and Franklin with the Church and with the General Authorities for the enforcement of the law. I appeal to you and to all the people of the nation to come to the support of the Constitution of the United States, I appeal to you to stand with me when I say, “God helping me, I will not knowingly cast my vote for any candidate for any office unless I have reasonable assurance that he lives in accordance with the law, that if elected he will live in accordance with the sacred oath of office he will be required to take, and that he will do his best to see that all our laws are respected and that the people live in accordance with them.”

Source: Elder Richard R. Lyman
General Conference, October 1932

Topics: Voting

My religion ought to teach me to regard my fellow as entitled to his views, as well as I am to mine, in matters political as in all else. I believe in men taking part in politics. We have to do so in order to function in government, even as has been said. But I say to you Latter-day Saints if you, my brother, claim to be a Republican, be a straight, honest one. And if you, my other brother claim to be a Democrat, be a genuine Democrat. I know too many honorable Democrats to believe that all the good is in the Republican party, or the reverse. Some people even say: “Both can not be right.” “Oh, is that so? Then if the Republicans are right the Democrats must be wrong.” Would the proposition stand analysis? According to that, if the Democrats are good the Republicans are bad, out and out. Well now, I know good people and I know bad people, according to my mode of analysis, in both these parties, and I have been led to say sometimes that I think each is a little worse than—perhaps I should say better than—the other. Do not think because your neighbor does not vote your ticket that he is reprobate and bound for destruction. Do your duty as citizens, as I try to do mine, and do not feel that your neighbor is not entitled to his views. Do not let rancor and hatred find a place in your heart because of political differences.

Source: Elder James E. Talmage
General Conference, October 1932

Topics: Politics; Voting

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