'It's a revolution': polygamist sect loses power over Utah town for first time

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

'It's a revolution': polygamist sect loses power over Utah town for first time

Majority control on the town council of Hildale is now set to transfer away from the sect, and a new female mayor is expected to win once ballots are counted

Joanna Walters in New York
Wednesday 8 November 2017 20.31 GMT

A fundamentalist religious sect that commands its women members to wear pioneer-era dresses and that became infamous for mass polygamy and child marriage appears to have had its power over a small town broken for the first time in its history.

Three non-fundamentalist council members are reported to have won against incumbents loyal to the sect “by a landslide” in Hildale, southern Utah, on Tuesday night.

And, in a closer race, an all-but-official majority of voters have chosen a new mayor, who also ran as an “outsider” to challenge the authority of the fringe religion over the isolated community.

Donia Jessop fully expects to be confirmed as the new mayor once a small number of outstanding postal ballots are counted in the next week. Her ascendence will be a potent symbol of a new era in the community.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/nov/08/its-a-revolution-polygamist-sect-loses-power-over-utah-town-for-first-time

[Wellstone ruled]

1. This is more than a Revolution.

Have to really congratulate Donna for doing the impossible. She has scared the holy crap out to the FLDS Priesthood and there is no going back. Anyone who knows this area of Utah and Arizona know of what I speak.

[Scurrilous]

2. K&R

[Wellstone ruled]

3. Had to check the Newspaper of Record

that covers Hilldale and Colorado City. No mention of this major story. Nothing surprising. Even the Salt Lake Tribune is dark on this History making event.

[lindysalsagal]

4. Hope she's got a body guard.

Seriously.

[SeattlePop]

5. What's Wrong With Having 5 Wives 20 Children And

A HUUUUGE welfare check?

....sarcasm

[L. Coyote]

6. Good news for the teen girls in that town.

Now, perhaps, the police will serve the law instead of the cult.

[BigmanPigman]

7. I can't believe that this has been continuing

even after that shithead ended up in jail and all of the publicity that this has had for several years now. It is like a script from a really bad movie (child rape by older white men, religious/cult, money, death threats, politics, etc.).

[crazycatlady]

8. I wonder if Donia Jessop is ex FLDS?

I've read several books about women who have gotten out of the FLDS (fascinating subject to me) and the Jessop name is very big there