Any lawyers with good Law Library Fu wanna take a shot at this?
I know that several states have obscure, ridiculous, and un-enforceable laws on their books, simply because no one has gotten around to removing them yet. With this in mind, the history of Mormonism with regard to its development in Illinois was not exactly peaceful.
I’m wondering if any provision in Illinois law prohibits those who profess allegiance to the Church of Latter Day Saints from holding public office or appearing on the ballot for public office.* This could make things rather interesting if Mitt Romney gets the Republican nomination this summer.
*Again, such a law would be both ridiculous and un-enforceable.
Not Illinois, but apparently there was once an Extermination Order issued in Missouri against Mormons, but it looks like it has been formally rescinded and is no longer in effect.
Even if there were such a law in Illinois, it wouldn’t be very relevant in the general election, since Obama’s going to win Illinois in a landslide (or at least, any scenario where he doesn’t, he’s losing big everywhere else, too). It could cause a stink in the primaries, though.
Illinois does not now, and never has, had any restrictions against Mormons appearing on the ballot or holding office. Even the Constitution of 1848, adopted shortly after the unpleasantness in Nauvoo, specifically forbade (Article XIII Section 4) any religious test for holding office. The Constitutions of 1870 and 1970 repeat this prohibition. Ballot access didn’t exist until 1891, when Illinois switched to state-printed ballots, long after paranoia over Nauvoo was an issue.