Religion had minimal impact on voter behaviour in 2024 elections- research

A new study by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) shows that religious teachings had little impact on the 2024 elections.

The study is titled "Stocktaking Ghana’s Democracy: Voter Behaviour and Political Participation." It looked at attitudes and behaviors related to the 2024 general election. One key goal was to see how religious identity influenced voting decisions.

The findings revealed that 62.2 percent of respondents felt religion did not affect their political views. Only 16.7 percent said religion somewhat influenced their stance, while 15.3 percent admitted it affected them a little.

A mere 5.7 percent reported that religion strongly impacted their political views.

These results challenge the belief that religious leaders or messages significantly shape electoral choices. While Ghana is a deeply religious society, voters seem to separate faith from politics when voting.

The study highlights changes in Ghana’s democratic engagement. Many Ghanaians are distancing their political decisions from religious influence. This suggests they are adopting a more issue-based and independent approach to democracy.