African American

MAY 10, 2017 — According to new U.S. Census Bureau data, voter turnout increased to 65.3 percent for non-Hispanic whites, but decreased to 59.6 percent for non-Hispanic blacks in the 2016 presidential election (Figure 2). This compared to 2012, when more non-Hispanic blacks (66.6 percent) voted than non-Hispanic whites (64.1 percent) for the first time in this series.

In addition, voters ages 18 to 29 were the only age group to show increased turnout between 2012 (45 percent) and 2016 (46.1 percent), an increase of 1.1 percent (Figure 4). All older age groups either reported small, yet statistically significant turnout decreases or turnout rates not statistically different from 2012.

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2017/cb17-tps45-voting-rates.html

Only 1 percent of black respondents in the poll described themselves as Republicans, compared with 59 percent who said they are Democrats. But 59 percent is much less than the overwhelming share of black Americans who vote for Democrats. Many blacks, like Americans overall, largely vote for one party but are not particularly aligned with it: 16 percent of blacks described themselves as independents, while 21 percent answered “none of these.”

Polling done by the Pew Research Center has suggested that among self-identified Democrats, blacks and Latinos are less likely to describe themselves as liberal than whites. Data from this AP/NORC poll comports with Pew’s findings: The majority of blacks say they are moderate (44 percent) or conservative (27 percent), while just 26 percent said that they are liberal.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-diversity-of-black-political-views/

African-Americans make up about 13.4% of the US population.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045217

When African-Americans don't vote, Democrats lose.

But then, the swing voters are white and often vote on economic issues.

It's difficult for Democrats to get the balance right -- to appeal to and get that 13.4% of the population that is African-American out to vote, but to also appeal to the swing voters who vote and determine who wins and loses elections based on economic issues.

If African-Americans could be relied upon to vote in all elections, then their concerns would receive more attention. But politicians have to think about the concerns and interests of those willing to vote.

Hillary won the popular vote even though a lot African-Americans did not vote in 2016. But in certain key states, maybe she would have won and would now be president if more African-Americans had voted.

African-Americans are not a large part of the population. They can, however, influence the outcome of elections beyond their numbers if they vote as they did in 2008 and 2012.

We need African-American votes. If African-Americans don't get out and vote Democratic even when the candidate is "too liberal" for them or not keen enough on race issues, we end up with Trump.

It isn't just liberals who need to learn to vote for Democrats. It's everyone in the Party. But the Party must treat all candidates fairly and make sure that primaries and other elections leave all voters with a sense that the election was held fairly.