<![CDATA[This article examines religious identity politics in Indonesian elections and its influence on voting behavior. The study is grounded in the fact that religion does not function merely as a private belief system, but also appears in the public sphere as a source of legitimacy, political mobilization, and electoral alignment. The research questions address how religious identity politics operates in elections, how José Casanova’s perspective explains the phenomenon, and how it affects voting behavior. This study aims to analyze the relationship between religion, the public sphere, and electoral choice within Indonesia’s democratic context. The research employs a qualitative library-based method using a sociology of religion approach. Data were analyzed descriptively and analytically through academic journals, scholarly writings, and supporting documents. The findings show that religious identity shapes candidate legitimacy, influences voter alignment, and increases political participation, yet also contributes to social polarization and weakens rational-programmatic considerations. From José Casanova’s perspective, this phenomenon can be understood as a form of the deprivatization of religion in the democratic public sphere.]]>
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