Populist Mobilization in Churches Impact on Female Voting Behavior

• In Event: Populist Strategies and Leaders

Abstract

Abstract


To what extent do populist-led mobilization in churches impact women’s voting choice? Despite the research on the factors that influence voting behavior in previous presidential elections, we know little about the effects populist-led mobilization in churches have on the process of females voting in populist presidential elections. Focusing on the United States and Venezuela exclusively, I studied the effects of populist leader’s role in mobilizing voters in churches across different dominations, and how the mobilization efforts affect an individual’s voting behavior. I found that populist leaders in both the United States and Venezuela have increasingly more outlets to mobilize their messages in churches, indicating that modern populist leaders can significantly influence voting behaviors. In addition, I found that specific dominations are more prone to populist-led mobilizations influence, and therefore more susceptible towards altering their voting behaviors. Further evidence suggests that the predominant mechanisms behind this effect are also present in other Eastern European and Latin American countries, where populist-led mobilization has taken effect. Additionally, I found by applying John Stuart Mill’s Method of Agreement (MOA) and Most Similar Systems (MSS) design and the Quantitative Comparison Analysis (QCA), that populist leaders and their mobilization efforts can be considered one of the driving forces that impact women’s voting choice during populist presidential elections.

Author

• Alexandra Lazar, California State University Los Angeles