By Rayna Young, MPP
In September, the Center for Policy Analysis and Research (CPAR) launched an original research project, surveying Black attendees at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 53rd Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) about their top concerns for the 2024 election. As the 2024 election intensified, Black voters were fully engaged and offered considered perspectives on the issues that matter the most to them. Our report, Amplifying Black Perspectives: Insights from the 2024 Pre-Election Survey, offers a snapshot of the views and priorities that shaped how Black Americans voted in a pivotal election year.
Our respondents were united on several important topics. One hundred percent of respondents said that education and criminal justice were key issues for Black Americans – issues that were not highlighted during the Presidential campaign. Respondents also expressed deep concern about election safety, technology’s role in the democratic process, and political violence. These concerns extend beyond a single election cycle and are part of ongoing conversations about democracy and Black voter empowerment.
We found that election enthusiasm was another point of consensus. When asked their opinion on the election, respondents voiced overwhelming support for former Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential bid. In fact, many expressed far more enthusiasm for the election just six weeks after she entered the race than they did prior to her candidacy. Our findings challenge the narrative that Black men had an unfavorable view of Harris, as nearly 90% of Black men surveyed expressed enthusiasm about Harris.
We also found a diversity of opinions within our sample, often along the lines of age, gender, and sexual orientation. Gen Z respondents were more concerned about climate change than older generations, and male respondents were slightly less concerned about reproductive rights than female respondents. In our regional comparison, we found that Southern respondents were more concerned about voter suppression efforts at the polls than respondents in other states. Our results show the multifaceted nature of Black communities. Read the full report for more nuanced discussions about Black America.
This report offers essential context for understanding the political climate leading into the 2024 election and sets the stage for analyzing the evolution of Black opinions after the vote. In March, we will release our second report, Amplifying Black Perspectives: Insights from the 2024 Post-Election Survey, which will reveal how Black Americans’ concerns changed following President Donald Trump’s electoral victory. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive an update about the post-election report.