How Black Women Like Stacey Abrams and LaTosha Brown Were a Powerful Force in Voter Turnout for the 2020 Election

For years, Black women have been the largest voting group for Democratic nominees, and this year was no exception.

Over 90 percent of Black women voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2020 Presidential election, and Black women in politics were overwhelmingly responsible for high voter turnout. A common theme during this election was convincing the youth and people of color that their votes mattered, an issue that has stemmed from distrust in the government and the election process. The Black vote is believed to be what gave the Biden/Harris campaign numbers needed to defeat Donald Trump.

One of the women credited with the registration of thousands of new voters is Stacey Abrams. After losing her 2018 gubernatorial race to Governor Brian Kemp, Abrams shined a national spotlight on voter suppression in the state of Georgia. Many suppressed votes were from the Black communities who had faced difficulties voting midterm due to a policy that affected voter registration. The loss motivated Abrams to hit the ground running in between elections to get as many Georgians registered as she could, focusing on the youth and Black vote. Abrams registered over 800,000 new voters between 2018 and 2020, and those voters gave Biden a lead, turning Georgia into a Blue state.

Despite the accomplishments, Abrams still has work to do. Georgia is still facing two runoff battles for Senate seats; contenders Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are hoping for a last-minute surge in votes. Abrams and other organizers are pushing the people who were too young to vote on Election day to register by December 7 so that they can cast their vote in January. If they win, the Senate majority will be Democratic, offering a smoother transition of power for President-elect Biden. Between fundraising millions of dollars and registering thousands of voters, Abrams did not let the loss end her political journey; instead, she turned a low moment in her life into a high for her community.

Many other Black women put on their capes for the sake of Democracy in the last four years. Founder of Black Voters Matter, LaTosha Brown, rallied across the country to register people in underserved Black communities after experiencing voter suppression first-hand over 20 years ago. Symone Sanders has been highly praised for her work as Biden’s senior campaign advisor, leading him to a historic win. Not only did the hard work of these Black women pay off, but they are a shining example of representation for little Black girls who dream of leading this country in the future.

The fundraising, rallying, registration, and voting facilitated by Black women has ushered a new era in the United States of America. Black women have been the force behind the fight for basic human rights since they were brought to this land against their will over 400 years ago. Though the fight has evolved, we as a country have only won small battles, but not the war to restore Democracy.

Like all voters, the Black women who worked to change the course of this election, plan to hold our elected leaders to all the promises made to the American people. If we do not see the change that we need for the growth of our country, those like Abrams and Brown will not give up until a change is made for the better.