In the aftermath of the presidential election, analysis began in earnest. These are difficult times for supporters of progressive causes. Whether you're feeling traumatized or full of energy, the inevitable question arises: “What's going on now?”
Many smart and talented founders, some who had been in the industry for years and some bright, energetic up-and-comers, focused their efforts on: voters of color, young voters, urban votersetc. They piloted and scaled up interesting ideas (early morning voting partyHomecoming Voter Celebrations at Historically Black Colleges and Universities; concert sweepstakes), leading indicators showed impressive results. As many of these programs were beginning to gain traction, projections were showing tens of thousands of votes moving into these areas.
As a Black Managing Director turnout organizationmy team and I were living this reality. we championed many things program For the past two years, our signature effort has been to integrate with Black cultural events, such as festivals and concerts, to meet and register young Black voters to vote. We saw great early results as our program grew from dozens of signups to thousands per day. The nearly 200,000 Black voter registrations we achieved in the first year of our program can only be described as a huge success.
Before we go any further, let me offer some perspective on 2024. new york timesthe number of votes cast declined by nearly 1.7 million in primarily urban counties across the country. In Cook County, Illinois, for example, turnout decreased by 20 percent. In a year that saw significant voter declines compared to the previous cycle, small increases were always destined to be overwhelmed.
It is important to note that many of these programs may have worked as designed. We won't know until final voter data is available, but it's not unreasonable to think that tens of thousands of votes were actually generated as a result of these efforts. In most modern election cycles, these are significant consequences. But this year has proven to be different, even if it isn't already obvious.
This does not minimize the work done. In historically black counties and neighborhoods, we were able to see for ourselves the impact we were having. Our goal was to increase black voter turnout, and wherever we went, our efforts were met with overwhelming enthusiasm. It's not for nothing.
This past week was a wake-up call for many of us who have worked hard to encourage specific audiences to register, show up, and vote for new advances. The atmosphere is heavy, the conversations difficult, and there are many unknowns. But one thing I know is that when I started this work all those years ago, I was never fighting for what America is, I was fighting for what America could be. It means that it was.
From the founding of the country through the Jim Crow era, the struggle for black representation was openly fought, and dead and dying black bodies were displayed in public. I am grateful that black voices like Mississippi's first black senator Hiram Revels, Mississippi senator Blanche Bruce, and South Carolina congressman Robert Smalls are finally rising up in our hallowed halls. We witnessed this during the reconstruction period. Congress was only silenced by a wave of violence and intimidation that generated hateful propaganda like “The Birth of a Nation” and drove Black people from their sacred spaces.
We never surrendered in those 250 years. And as disappointed as I am right now, I am not willing to surrender. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do next, but it's there.
I don't claim to have the answer to the question “What's going on now?” But we know we have to leverage innovation. We need to double down on promising tools and operators. To lose these talented founders and the driving force behind their innovation now is to waste years of learning.
A breakthrough is happening, even if the headlines don't reflect that fact. Founders, operators, and funders need to keep nurturing these ideas. You also need to take time to heal personally. It could take a day, a week, a month, or more. As my physical therapist used to say to me, “Let the pain be your guide.” And when you're ready, let's get to work.
For me, that is the definitive answer to the question “What happens now?”
Tamer Moctar is the executive director of All American Vote, a nonprofit organization focused on bipartisan efforts to engage America's voters by increasing turnout among young and diverse voters.
