According to an internal poll conducted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2014, most local Mormon Church leaders believe the faith holds less sway with lawmakers than the state’s tourism industry.
The survey was posted online this week on the website MormonLeaks, and asked Latter-day Saints about the perceived influence the Mormon church holds in Utah and how state lawmakers respond to various constituencies.
One of the lines of questioning asked members specifically about their awareness of LDS church messaging on state liquor laws. Active members ranked church clout with the state Legislature below that of minorities and the news media.
Sociology experts with Brigham Young University told the Salt Lake Tribune that the church began conducting surveys in the 1970s and uses the information to identify where problems may exist and how members feel.