International Journal of Arts and Humanities Studies ISSN: 2754-4311 DOI: 10.32996/bjahs Journal Homepage: www.al-kindipublisher.com/index.php/Ijahs IJAHS AL-KINDI CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Copyright: © 2022 the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Published by Al-Kindi Centre for Research and Development, London, United Kingdom. Page | 26 | RESEARCH ARTICLE Personification of Religious Elite, Political Behavior and Identity Politics: A Profile of Regional Elections in Indonesia Nurul Azizah Universitas Ibrahimy, Situbondo, Indonesia Corresponding Author: Nurul Azizah, E-mail: nurulazizah@ibrahimy.ac.id | ABSTRACT The religious elite's role is significant in Indonesia's regional head elections. The political behavior of the religious elite; The role of the religious elite has legitimacy as a symbolic representation of the highest religious authority in society. The politicization of Identity at the local level has strengthened along with the presence of elite groups that participate in proclaiming the superiority of Identity, the spirit of communalism, feudalism, and regional issues in political events. This paper aims to analyze the relationship between the role and behavior of religious elites and identity politics in regional elections in the realm of politics at the local level. Based on the results of interviews, observations, and analysis of qualitative research data revealed: First, the dynamics of direct regional elections in Situbondo, Banyuwangi, Bondowoso, and Jember; second, the legitimacy of power and the political behavior of religious elites in regional elections; third, the current role of the elite mobilizes the masses and political campaigns and forth, the use of Identity Politics in regional elections. This paper suggests that the government and election organizers increase consistency in keeping the public sphere from being dominated by specific identity political forces by commodifying the politicization of religion; whatever form of identity politics in the name of religion does not cause a commotion that has the potential to undermine the disintegration of nation and state. | KEYWORDS Religious elite, political behavior, identity politics, elections, regional heads | ARTICLE INFORMATION ACCEPTED: 22 January 2023 PUBLISHED: 04 February 2023 DOI: 10.32996/Ijahs.2023.3.1.4 1. Introduction The fundamental relationship between political behavior and the personification of religious elites and identity politics became a new phenomenon in local elections. The role of the religious elite becomes a solid magnet to gain votes so that it becomes a surefire strategy for regional head candidates who compete to win and are elected as Regents or regional heads. The role of the religious elite is not only persuasive but directly into the successful team of candidates, who become political campaigners, and even his photos spread on banners and posters of regional candidates posted on the side of the highway. Indonesia's religious elites, who have become successful teams, have begun to increase since the enactment of the direct regional election system. More most areas in Indonesia are composed of Muslims. According to data, there are several identity politics that candidates use to win, such as the case of the DKI Jakarta Governorship election, where there were findings of blasphemy committed by regional head candidates, known as blasphemy against the holy verses of the Quran letter Al-Maidah 54(Djumadin, 2022) It is from this association that religious Identity becomes a political commodification to strengthen the politics of Identity on a national scale and local spaces.(Chen & Urminsky, 2019; J. Jung & Mittal, 2020; Rekker et al., 2017) The current literature examines the following three points: First, religious elites' strong influence and role in regional elections. (Arvate et al., 2021; Aspinall, 2005; Baker, 2018; Carroll, 2018; Lassébie, 2020; Mbah et al., 2019; Mechkova & Wilson, 2021; Meitzner, 2009; Prihatini, 2020; Warshaw, 2019). Second, literature that examines political behavior and religious hegemony in regional