Black voters and the complexity of race and politics in the 2024 elections

Black voters have increasingly been identified as a pivotal Democratic voting bloc in critical state and federal elections, with over 85% voting for Democratic candidates in recent national, state, and local elections

Despite overwhelming support for Democratic candidates, Black voters hold a range of ideologies; they are conservative, moderate, liberal, and progressive, and approximately 10% of Black voters consistently vote for Republican candidates. Is there waning enthusiasm for Democrats in the Black community? If yes, what is causing this shift in partisan support? If not, what makes Black voters of different ideologies vote consistently for Democratic candidates? What are the two parties doing to address issues of concern to Black voters?

On May 16, the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative at Brookings hosted a webinar to discuss the complexity of race and politics in a two-party system, the diversity of what constitutes the Black policy agenda, and the reality of what it means to be a Black voter in 2024.

Viewers submitted questions for speakers by emailing [email protected] and via X (formerly Twitter) at @BrookingsGov by using #BlackVoters2024.