‘A Canary In The Coal Mine’: Black Voter Turnout Lagging In Southern Battleground States In Warning Sign For Harris
Black voter turnout in two key southern battleground states is lagging behind 2020 levels, in what could be a concerning trend for Vice President Kamala Harris. Black voters made up 25% of the Georgia electorate and 18%…
Black voter turnout in two key southern battleground states is lagging behind 2020 levels, in what could be a concerning trend for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Black voters made up 25% of the Georgia electorate and 18% of the North Carolina electorate in early voting as of Wednesday, marking a significant decline from 2020 when they accounted for 29% and 19% of the electorate, respectively. The decline in black turnout poses a serious threat to Harris’ chances in the southern battlegrounds, with Democratic political operatives noting that if the party is unable to reverse the trend come Election Day Harris could face a difficult path to victory in the states.
“This feels like a canary in the coal mine,” Michael Bitzer, Politics and history professor at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, told Axios in reference to the Tar Heel state’s lag in black turnout.