Black voters see numbers rise

Web posted September 24, 2000

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By Clarissa J. Walker
Staff Writer

Paine College student Candace Anderson (left) brought her friend LaTosha McDaniel to the school's Voter Mobilization and Empowerment Rally on Saturday. JENNIFER FULLER/STAFF

As they sang We Shall Overcome, the solemn crowd revisited a turbulent era in American history Saturday afternoon, a time when civil rights activists staged sit-ins and were beaten and jailed fighting for a right more and more blacks now are taking advantage of.

During a voter empowerment rally, Paine College student leaders challenged their fellow classmates and the Augusta community not only to register to vote, but also to participate in the Nov. 7 election.

``We take for granted that we can walk on the streets freely and go out and do what we want to do,'' said Senior Class President Redonia July, 25.

``We want to complain about the state of things, but when we don't vote, we have no right to complain.''

So far, the school's student government association and NAACP chapter have registered more than 150 people. Those new voters are boosting a national trend.

Blacks are the only ethnic group increasing its presence at the polls in recent elections, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report.

In 1998, blacks increased their voter participation in congressional elections to 40 percent, up from 37 percent in 1994. In 1998, there were about 9 million black voters in the United States, and 40 percent of those were in the South.

John Stanfield, Morehouse College sociology department chairman, said the increased voter participation is in response to the increase in social problems blacks want solved.

``Things aren't going too well out here for us,'' he said. ``It's becoming more and more apparent. All we have to do is look at the growing problems that blacks are having with regards to access to higher education; the growing erosion of the quality of public education that blacks are exposed to; the deepening problems that we are having with regard to health care.''

In Richmond County, the participation rate is consistent with the national trend: The number of blacks registered to vote grew from 27,949 to 37,714 from 1990 to 2000. A portion of the increase is attributed to the 4.3 percent black population increase in the county during those years. Black voter turnout in 1990 was 9,969 and grew to 12,417 in 1994. The Richmond County Board of Elections does not have figures for presidential election years 1992 and 1996. But analysts said the upward trend began with the presidential race of 1992, the first time President Clinton ran for office.

``After we had Republican domination in this country for a very long time, what (President Clinton) has done in terms of diversifying government and putting issues of race on the front burner has had a lot to do with a greater sense of connectedness,'' Dr. Stanfield said.

Nationally, white turnout declined from 50 percent to 47 percent from 1994 to 1998, while Asian and Pacific islander turnout fell from 22 percent to 19 percent. And Hispanic turnout remained at 20 percent in those years, according to the census report.

Some said the increase occurred because there are more affluent, educated blacks than there were in the early 1990s. And those voters want to elect officials to protect their interests.

Dr. Stanfield disagrees.

``When we look at the data closely, we will see that things aren't going as well as we think that they are going,'' he said. ``Even for blacks in Atlanta, things looks more affluent than they actually are.''

Others said it's not time for the black community to celebrate yet.

``Yes. There has been an increase of voter participation among African- Americans, but the group that's most likely to vote is still black females,'' said Dr. Obie Clayton, executive director of Morehouse Research Institute.

``The group least likely to vote are the African-American men. There are some things that need to be changed. How do you get black men to vote? Now the thing is to get those rates up and keep that trend going.''

Reach Clarissa J. Walker at (706) 828-3851.

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