The candidacy of Mitt Romney in 2008 and 2012, and those of other candidates such as Rick Santorum and Michelle Bachmann, has raised the question of whether a political candidate’s religious beliefs should be a campaign issue. Do constitutional provisions regarding “no religious test” and “no establishment of religion” mean religion should be irrelevant when citizens decide how to vote? Particular focus will be on Mormon and Religious Right candidates.

William D. Russell