What would Jesus do? He would vote.

That’s the message from three Protestant leaders, who are urging their 225,000 Kansas members to vote Tuesday in the primaries.

“This is something every Christian ought to do,” said Scott Jameson Jones, bishop of the United Methodist Church-Kansas area. “It’s part of your Christian life; it’s part of your Christian responsibility.”

In addition to Jones, Bishop Gerald Mansholt of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Right Rev. Dean Wolfe, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, are telling their church members that voting will help ensure the quality of leadership.

The leaders don’t endorse candidates but urge Kansans to take their responsibility to vote seriously.

“We care about public education, therefore who serves on the state school board and in the Legislature matters,” Jones said. “We care about poverty and children, so how the state funds social services matters.”

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius also urged Kansans to get to the polls.

“It’s critically important that people participate,” she said. “There are important choices to make, both on the Republican and Democratic side.”

But even with such exhortations, most Kansas voters are expected to stay away from the polls Tuesday.

Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh predicted a primary turnout of 23 percent, or less than one in four eligible voters.

The small number of contested primary races and campaigns lacking much fire have turned this election day into a yawner.

“It’s hard to put lipstick on this pig,” Thornburgh said.

Thornburgh said voters shouldn’t avoid the primaries and vote only in the general election.

“I would assume most voters would want a nominee that stands for what they stand for,” he said. “There is a great need to show up and express your support for the candidate of your choice. I don’t understand the thinking, ‘I’m going to pass it up and let someone else decide for me.'”

Also in Kansas, many races are decided in the Republican Party primary.

“In Kansas, where one party is dominant, the primary determines it, so not to vote in the primary means you have really lost your opportunity to determine the ultimate outcome,” said Jones, the Methodist leader.

There are 1.6 million registered voters in Kansas, a 3.5 percent increase from two years ago. Of those, 46 percent are registered Republican, 27 percent are unaffiliated and 26 percent are Democrats.

Thornburgh predicted 38 percent of Republicans would vote and 18 percent of Democrats. Both Jones and Thornburgh say many voters are apathetic because they feel disconnected from the government or are put off by hard-edged political fighting.

But Jones urged voters to try to take a long-term view when analyzing the candidates.

“It’s not about the latest scandal or the latest hot-button issue, it’s really about good government,” he said.