Battle for Black Male Votes in Georgia Could Sway Election

AFP/APP

Atlanta: As Ronald Jordan entered a polling booth in Georgia, a key US swing state, he observed that female voters seemed to outnumber their male counterparts.

This observation highlighted a growing concern for him: many of his Black male friends were opting not to participate in the election.

In Georgia, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump are vying for the Black vote, a crucial bloc that could decide the state’s 16 electoral college votes in a race predicted to be exceedingly close. Jordan, a 41-year-old Atlanta resident, supports Harris, driven by a desire to counter what he calls Trump’s divisive rhetoric.

However, he struggles to sway his Black male friends, who show apathy toward both candidates.

Reflecting on his recent conversations, Jordan questioned his friends’ reluctance, asking, “Are you upset she’s a Black woman or that she’s half-Indian?” Yet, he found they could not pinpoint their reasons for disengagement.

Black voters in Fulton County—especially women—formed the majority, underscoring a gender gap in voter turnout among Black voters in the state.

Georgia Votes, a data aggregator, reported that early voting among Black women in Georgia notably outpaced Black male turnout.

South Fulton’s Mayor Kobi pointed to a sense of disenfranchisement among Black men, suggesting they may feel their votes lack impact. “What policies have been enacted to make Black men feel that their vote has counted?” he questioned.

Election surveys indicate Harris has garnered strong support from women, partly driven by concerns over reproductive rights, but she faces a tougher task attracting male voters.

Trump, on the other hand, has sought to appeal to Black men by focusing on immigration, claiming it impacts employment for Black communities.

Former President Barack Obama also addressed the issue, urging Black men to support Harris and arguing that Trump’s actions do not reflect “real strength.”

For Whytne Stevens, a 28-year-old Atlanta urban planner, the decision to vote for Harris wasn’t solely based on her identity as a Black woman but on broader concerns for the country’s future. “She’s not Trump,” Stevens emphasized, prioritizing stability over other issues.

This election, Harris is perceived as the “underdog,” having entered the race only months prior after President Joe Biden’s withdrawal. “Never count a woman out,” said Ludwidg Louizaire, a 27-year-old beauty queen, after casting her vote in Fulton County.