A recent report has found that Black Mississippians are among the most politically engaged in the country. Despite having the highest percentage of African Americans in its population, WalletHub ranks Black Mississippians as the 16th most politically engaged state. In the 2020 election, they had the second-highest registration and turnout among Black voters nationally.
WalletHub used various metrics to rank Mississippi, including Black voter turnout for the 2020 Presidential Election and the 2022 Midterm Elections, as well as the proportional representation of Black people in the U.S. House of Representatives to the state’s Black population. Overall, Mississippi scored 66.17 out of 100 points in political engagement.
While Black voters historically support Democrats, with 92% voting for Joe Biden in 2020, there are challenges to voter engagement in Mississippi. The state has strict voter ID laws, yet still has high engagement rates among African Americans. Research shows that Black turnout can be impacted by factors such as voter disenfranchisement laws, which affect a significant portion of Black voters in the state.
The Pew Research Center forecasts the Black-eligible voter population to grow nationally this year, despite the challenges faced by Black voters in Mississippi and elsewhere. The findings highlight the political engagement and importance of Black voters in the state and across the country.
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