Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
Jimmy Williams
With Election Day fast approaching, campaigns are intensifying efforts to boost Black voter turnout in key battleground states, recognizing the crucial role Black voters play in elections across the U.S. From community events like “Souls to the Polls” marches to star-studded rallies and celebrity-driven outreach, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are vying for influence within the Black community, particularly among younger voters and Black men.
For Harris, the first Black woman on a major party ticket, the approach includes a deeply rooted connection with Black voters that extends through cultural events and door-to-door campaigning. Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have joined the charge, appearing in Detroit and Philadelphia, respectively, to energize the base. “Your vote is your chance to tell folks in power what you want,” Michelle Obama said at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, underscoring how elections impact everyday lives.
Efforts to boost Black turnout are in full swing at the grassroots level as well. On Sunday, Miami churches held a “Souls to the Polls” event, where congregants marched to a polling location following a community gathering at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. “People get excited when they see us walking down the street. It encourages them to get out,” said Regina Tharpe, a Miami resident.
The Harris campaign has enlisted high-profile support and organized events across swing states with a focus on economic issues, health care, and voting rights. Campaign stops have included nonpartisan events, like a “Pistonsland” festival in Detroit, which featured live music, carnival games, and early voting access. “If you want the people who are going to be most impacted to come out, you have to go where they are,” said Jamarr Brown, executive director of Color of Change PAC, whose recent outreach has reached 8 million Black voters.
Meanwhile, Trump has made unorthodox appeals to Black voters, focusing on issues such as the economy and crime. Surrogates like GOP Reps. Byron Donalds and Wesley Hunt have been deployed for outreach to Black men, holding events in Philadelphia and elsewhere to discuss economic empowerment. Trump has also argued that undocumented immigrants take jobs from Black Americans, a claim unsubstantiated by economists but aimed at connecting with Black men frustrated with the current economy.
In a statement, Trump campaign spokesperson Janiyah Thomas said, “If Kamala wanted to turn our country around, then she would do it now. We deserve more than token gestures — we deserve a leader who respects us, empowers us, and backs it up with action.”
Early Black voter turnout has varied across states, with turnout slightly trailing 2020 levels in North Carolina. As Election Day looms, leaders like Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., are optimistic. At a Tuesday event in Atlanta, he spoke about the importance of Black voter turnout in Georgia, saying, “The indicators to us are such that those people are going to turn out. They’re not going to miss this historic moment.”
Detroit NAACP president and pastor Rev. Wendell Anthony added that efforts to reach Black voters directly are creating momentum, but challenges remain. “There’s always a group of people who still don’t believe that their vote makes a difference,” he noted. But with targeted outreach and a vibrant turnout on the final weekend of early voting, organizers are hopeful that Black communities will play a decisive role in the upcoming election.
