The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contributed $1 million to oppose Proposition 1 on Thursday, followed by a $300,000 donation from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise the next day. The combined contributions represent significant financial backing for the effort to defeat the citizens initiative, which seeks to expand abortion access and appears on the November ballot.

The LDS Church’s contribution was the largest single donation received by Too Extreme for Idaho, the committee leading the opposition campaign. A couple connected with Catholic charities had previously provided two donations totaling $1 million to the same group. The Diocese of Boise’s gift ranked as the fourth-largest contribution to the committee.

Religious Organizations and Ballot Measures

The LDS Church stated it maintains neutrality toward political candidates but actively engages with ballot initiatives it believes carry significant moral consequences. Church leaders read a letter opposing Proposition 1 in all congregations on two separate days in September. The organization opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience but allows exceptions when pregnancy results from rape or incest, when the mother’s life is in jeopardy, or when a physician determines the fetus will not survive beyond birth.

Brian Whitlock, an LDS spokesperson, declined to expand on the church’s statement, noting he was not authorized to do so. Marco Roman, a spokesperson for the Boise Diocese, shared a statement explaining the donation decision.

Disclosure Rules and Funding Sources

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador issued an opinion stating that nonbusiness entity churches spending more than $1,000 on ballot initiatives are not required to disclose donors’ identities when acting as an exercise of religious beliefs. Melanie Folwell said the decision “was basically the green light for undisclosed money to flow in” from religious institutions opposing the initiative.

The disparity in donor participation between the two sides is notable. As of Monday, Idahoans United for Women and Families had raised approximately $5.6 million, receiving nearly 7,500 individual donations. The support campaign received nearly $2 million in donations from out-of-state donors in late September.

Too Extreme for Idaho had raised $4 million as of Monday, with approximately 260 donations. The committee’s funding relies heavily on larger institutional contributions rather than broad small-dollar giving.