DENVER — Call it getting out the God vote.

Democrats are borrowing traditionally Republican tactics to court religious voters, airing ads on Christian radio, inserting ads in church bulletins and throwing faith-focused house parties.

In 2004, Republicans built a formidable, well-funded religious political machine, with tens of thousands of Catholic team leaders, evangelical organizers in battleground states, direct mail, religious surrogates and sophisticated voter targeting that used market research to identify Republican-friendly voters on Democratic turf.

Although not ready to match that, Democrats believe they are better positioned through improved voter databases and a message that emphasizes that "values voters" care about more than abortion and gay marriage. Poverty, the environment and reducing the number of abortions — a big issue at this week's Democratic National Convention — are Democratic fodder.

"We'll definitely do it differently than Republicans," said consultant Eric Sapp, who advises Democrats on faith issues.

Democrats face hurdles in trying to replicate Republican successes, said John Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

The Democratic religious coalition is more diverse, so messages tailored to some faith communities might alienate others, not to mention nonreligious voters who are part of the party base, he said.

"There's reason to believe the Democrats have been catching up," Green said. "I don't know if they'll achieve parity this year but they'll surely be better than they were in 2004."

While the Democratic National Committee's religious outreach has focused on diversity and spiritual progressives, Obama organizers are reaching out to moderate evangelicals, Catholics and mainline Protestants in battlegrounds like Ohio.

There also are separate, nonpartisan efforts like the Church Ladies Project. For seven weeks, the project will put "issue papers" in bulletins at black churches, seeking to engage women voters on issues such as education, healthcare and housing.

Christian radio is another new frontier.

Democrats running in special elections for Congress this year in two Southern states — Travis Childers in Mississippi and Don Cazayoux in Louisiana — ran ads on Christian radio.

Both won, taking seats from Republicans.

"If you heard the labor union was having their big picnic on Saturday, no Democrat in their right mind running for dog catcher would miss that," Democratic pollster Celinda Lake said. "But we hear about all these religious events, and we don't think about going there. That's changing."