Culture: The voice of the people was not normative in and of itself. (See “Excursus: The Voice of the People,” following Mosiah 29.) If the “voice of the people” were a democratic vote, then the majority would carry the day and there would be no need to bring the “voice of the people” before the judges. Thus, the voice of the people indicates public opinion that the judges might perhaps ignore but would do so knowing that they were contrary to the statistical will of the people. Probably some part of their continued judgeship was related to popular support. Even King Benjamin declared that he ruled at the sufferance of the people (Mosiah 2:11; see also Alma 51:6–7 for Pahoran’s vote of confidence). Thus, while the voice of the people was not normative, it would be influential.