African-Americans make up more primary voters than they did in 2008, but don’t expect that to mean higher participation by younger blacks. Vanessa Williams and Scott Clement, writing for The Washington Post, note that “this is because of older black voters.” The finding is not surprising, since young voters have been the least likely to vote.
The title of notes “Despite Black Lives Matter, young black Americans aren’t voting in higher numbers.” The article itself, however, separates itself from an automatic connection between the movement and voter participation.
A provided perspective still has to do with the “success” of the movement, from Columbia Professor Frederick Harris. He equated the movement’s members with Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton “falling over each other talking about the need for reform and the persistence of institutionalized racism.” He also suggests there will be “criminal-justice reform in the party’s platform at this summer’s convention.” And, Harris notes “the movement has been influential in the Democratic selection process without even officially endorsing a candidate.”
Black Lives Matter members have not “officially endors[ed] a candidate,” in part because they’ve chosen to rather disrupt them, as the article makes reference to. Ashley Williams, 23, showed up to Hilary’s fundraiser in February to expose previous statements she made about black men being a “super predator,” an encounter which led to #WhichHillary trending on Twitter. There were also disruptions at panels featuring Sanders and Martin O’Malley.
Young blacks are not voting more because of the movement. The opposite effect may be happening. The article notes that “many were not enthusiastic about the value of voting, particularly in this year’s presidential election cycle.”
Lindsey Burgess, 22, who is a Sanders supporter, expressed concern that the “rhetoric of the Black Lives Matter movement… risks turning off these would-be voters even more.” She also noted:
The movement also has another trend separate from actual voting patterns, having been particularly critical of Hillary. Yet blacks have voted for her in the primary, both points which the article admits.
The activities of the movement may also not suggest a priority for participation in the political process and voting. Black Lives Matter disrupted students at Dartmouth College last semester, verbally assaulting them as they prepared for finals.
MTV has attempted to encourage young people to vote by referencing concerns and successes of the Black Lives Matter movement. The web series, The Racket, was billed as a program for all young people, rather than something out of the DNC.
