Religiosity and Voter Turnout in Iran (A Case Study of the Presidential Elections during 2001-2017)

Abstract

Abstract According to theoretical and empirical research, religion is one of the determinants of electoral behavior. In Iran, religion has always been considered as an influential institution in the field of social life. In regard to the importance of this institution and the religious political system in Iran, dominant foreign texts' lack of clarification of affairs by religion, their theoretical distortions related to religion in society (secularism) and empirical disorders about the influence of religiosity in the election and lack of specific studies about religiosity and voter turnout, this study seeks to clarify the relationship, especially in the Iranian presidential elections during 2001-2017. A cross- sectional and within-the-country comparative method, secondary document data and previous surveys have been employed to discuss the issue. The findings show that the relationship between religiosity and voter turnout is different in terms of the province ethnicity and its nearness to the borders. The extent of participation in Friday and Congregational Prayer as a collective dimension of religiosity has a greater impact in proportion to individual dimensions. Also, the personal dimension of religiosity has a reverse effect on voter turnout. This study shows that the theories of cultural wars and dominant ideology have much more potential to explain such relationships.

Keywords

• religion
• voter turnout
• theory of dominant ideology
• cultural wars
• iran provinces