WASHINGTON, D.C. (KERO) — The 2020 presidential election saw historic numbers when it came to voter turnout. Especially when it came to minority voters, and if that trend continues, it could have a big impact on future elections.
There are many aspects that influenced the 2020 presidential elections. Such as the growing impact that grassroots organizations had on voters and the mobilization of black female voters.
23ABC spoke with one local political science professor about why more minority groups were motivated to show up to the polls.
"It's a coalition of labor rights, immigrant rights, Latino Latina Latinx, African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans which is kind of new on the scene and really fascinating, as well as LGBTQ+ organizations. So you have all of these groups that have decided to work together for the purpose of defeating Donald Trump," said Dr. Ivy Cargile.
Ivy Cargile who is the assistant professor of political science at California State University Bakersfield, says the reason why states like Georgia and Arizona flipped blue during the 2020 presidential election is due to grassroots organizations who have been working for more than a decade to bring change.
Cargile also adds that the base of the Democratic Party in 2016 and 2020 has continued to be women of color.
"I think black women this time showed up and showed out. It's not a surprise because they've always been on the front lines all of this," said Dr. Cargile.
According to ABC exit polls of the 2020 presidential election, 90% of black women voted for President-elect Joe Biden. Stacy Abrams, who ran for the Georgia governorship in 2018 and lost, was one of the most notable women who made it her mission to expand her voting rights organization fair right and focused on aspects such as voter education and participation.
"She pounded the pavement hard. She went for grants and fundraising and just putting together a number of different organizations in Georgia that would help flip Georgia blue and it worked," said Dr. Cargile.
According to the Pew Research Center, black voters had a 5% point increase between 2000 and 2019.
"This was the highest growth rate of any racial or ethnic group in Georgia, and also the largest percentage point increase among black voters in any state in the country."
Although the 2020 presidential election saw historic voter participation, one question that remains, can minority voting efforts be sustained? Cargile says they can be, as long as voters stay vigilant.
"Mobilization can stay alive but it takes a lot. And so the question is how committed are we, all of us as a society in making sure that those people who showed up in 2020 continue to show up."
