The Political World: Voting, Tolerance, and Civility - Religion And Voting

There is another persistent notion about elections: those of a specific religious affiliation will vote consistently for a specific party. Is this true?

Data suggest that it is, more or less. The panel displays the voting patterns of the top religions in recent presidential elections. Jews consistently favor the Democratic candidate, in some cases in overwhelming numbers: they favored Mondale over Reagan in 1984 (67% to 31%) and Gore over Bush in 2000 (79% to 19%). In the 1992 and 1996 elections, there was a gap of 69% and 62% between their votes for the major parties (80% and 11%; 78% and 16%). Why the preference? One important factor could be the Democratic Party's image as more inclusive and tolerant.

How do Protestants vote? The members of this faith tend to be white, of middle or upper middle class income. They tend to support traditional values, and a conservative government that values the personal liberties of its citizens. They consistently vote Republican. They voted for Reagan over Mondale (72% to 27%), George Bush over Clinton (47% to 33%) and George W. Bush over Gore (63% to 34%).

Catholics have followed a different path. They voted for Carter in 1976, switched to the Republican ticket in 1980, 1984, and 1988 (creating the term "Reagan Democrats"), then voted Democratic again in 1992 and 1996. They voted Democratic in the year 2000, but by a slim margin (49% to 47%). Catholics are often seen as more socially conservative than other religions, with issues such as contraception, abortion, and gay rights continuing to polarize segments of their community. But Catholics also have a long history of social activism and caring for the poor, traits popularly associated with Democrats. Many come from working-class and union households, also a Democratic characteristic The group seems equally at home in both Republican and Democratic parties. As a result, Catholics have become something of a swing vote, with every candidate courting them — and none of them being entirely able to count on their support.

Our religious background is, of course, a key factor in shaping our attitudes about the world. But many of us have views differing from the official tenets of our faith. More to the point, few elections are ever won or lost on social issues. A Catholic may be against abortion, for example, but he well may vote on what matters most: his pocketbook or personal security.

Source: Connelley, Marjorie. "Who Voted: A Portrait of American Politics, 1976-2000." New York Times. 12 November, p. 4. Data for 2000 were collected by Voter News Service based on questionnaires completed by 13,279 voters leaving 300 polling places on Election Day. 1996 data came from a survey of 16,627 voters. 1992 came from a survey of 15,490 voters. Data from 1980 - 1988 came from the New York Times and CBS News: 11,645 in 1998, 9,174 in 1984, 15,201 in 1980.