aeblack

The Association Between Protestant Denomination and Participation in the 2016 Presidential Election

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Alec Black
Alec Black

Alec is a current sophomore (’23) from Northern New Jersey studying Government and Studio Art. Besides playing on Throw Culture, working for the Wesleyan Media Project, and editing The Ankh and other arts magazines on campus, he spends most of his time working in policy and communications for various campaigns. He is particularly interested in the religious factors contributing to the rise of conservatism in the United States and how this has influenced national politics.

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Abstract: Religiosity, particularly regular church attendance has been tied to higher voter turnout. (Smith 400) While this could be partially attributed to the communities provided by church congregations, as well as opportunities for political engagement, the rise of the Christian Right has linked cultural issues such as transgender healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights, and abortion to Christian values. (Chaves 235) However, Protestantism is the largest and most diverse denomination in the United States, so political affiliations and religious beliefs vary widely between various denominations. I examined four Episcopalian, Lutheran, Methodist, and Baptist churches, as well as whether individuals identified as Fundamentalism, a conservative theological movement emphasizing literal interpretations of the Bible, as well as voter turnout in the 2016 Presidential Election. Fundamentalism and Protestant denomination was significantly related to voter participation.

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