Religious Mobilization and the Selection of Political Elites: Evidence from Postwar Italy

Abstract Three key characteristics of effective electoral mobilizers have been identified in the literature: reputation, embeddedness local community, and ability to reward sanction voters. Religious leaders may possess all these characteristics. Can they favor their preferred candidates? Using a novel data set connections between politicians Italian Catholic bishops throughout twentieth century, I conduct first quantitative assessment returns personal religious leader. Leveraging timing bishops’ nominations within difference‐in‐differences strategy, estimate that born district yield 27% increase individual preference votes for connected candidate. Additional analyses point provision campaign opportunities as main mechanism driving effect. These findings suggest authorities can use mobilize voters, eventually influencing selection representatives democratic systems.