Religiosity and Electoral Participation in the Cities of Iran (Case Study of the 2017 Presidential Election )

According to theoretical and empirical studies, the factor of religion or religious orientation is one of the decisive factors in electoral behavior. In Iran, after the victory of the Revolution, religion was able to influence a larger area of life by controlling the institution of politics. Considering the importance of religion and the religious political system in Iran, lack of explanations from the side of religion, the theoretical biases regarding religion in society, and the empirical disturbances regarding the effects of religiosity on voter turnout in the prevailing foreign texts, and the lack of specific and reliable studies on this topic, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between religiosity and voter turnout in the cities of Iran in the 12th presidential elections in the cities of Iran. Comparison at the level of country was uses, secondary documents (second hand) and previous surveys were also used. The targeted statistical population includes all documented data in the cities of the country. The unit of analysis is the cities of the country and the statistical population of the study was 426 cities. The data of this study is aggregated data. The research showed that the effect of religious affiliation on turnout is influenced by the ethnicity of the city, and that the ethnicity of the city increases or decreases turnout, not religious affiliation. The research also showed that religiosity does not have a significant and fundamental impact on turnout; however, this does not mean that religiosity does not have an impact on election outcomes and voting preference. Religiosity indicators are more effective than turnout; they influence voting preference.