FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 23, 2008

How Church Attendance Affects Religious Voting Patterns

The latest report from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press shows that, as in previous elections, differences in voting patterns by religion are amplified when church attendance is taken into account. For example, Barack Obama has made no headway among white evangelical Protestants who attend church at least once a week; […]

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RECOMMENDED CITATION

Pew Research Center, October 2008, "How Church Attendance Affects Religious Voting Patterns"

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How Church Attendance Affects Religious Voting Patterns

The latest report from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press shows that, as in previous elections, differences in voting patterns by religion are amplified when church attendance is taken into account. For example, Barack Obama has made no headway among white evangelical Protestants who attend church at least once a week; […]

The latest report from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press shows that, as in previous elections, differences in voting patterns by religion are amplified when church attendance is taken into account. For example, Barack Obama has made no headway among white evangelical Protestants who attend church at least once a week; just 17% of this group supports him. By contrast, 37% of white evangelicals who attend services less frequently support Obama.

Similarly, while Obama has made gains among Catholics overall, he runs even with John McCain among observant white Catholics (45% to 45%). He now has a clear lead among white Catholics who attend Mass less frequently (53% to 38%).

church attendance