Black Americans Say They Are ‘Really Motivated’ To Vote Early

Pam Palmer reached for the snack she had stuck in her handbag, thinking she may need it if the lines were long for in-person absentee voting.

“I had requested a mail-in ballot, but I hadn’t gotten it,” Palmer explained. “I just thought I wanted to get out and vote.”

Palmer and thousands of Black Americans are making good use of the ways to participate in the November election including early voting, in-person absentee voting, or mail-in ballot.

The coronavirus pandemic is focusing attention on the safety of in-person voting, and growing skepticism about the President’s willingness to leave office peacefully if there is a debate about the winner of the election have created an urgency to vote.

“What really motivated me was the other day when the President said he wasn’t sure he would accept a loss,” said Palmer.

Early Voting

Terri Jones and Joe Mason arrived for in-person absentee voting on a sunny Friday morning. 

“Disabilities, asthma, blood pressure…” said Jones as she listed the reasons to vote in-person absentee.

And, Mason continued their reasoning for taking action well before November.

“We wanted to get in early, get our vote cast early so we can go ahead and get it done and avoid all of the long lines.”

Early Voting

The Associated Press published a recent report indicating African Americans are voting by mail in record numbers this year — a clear departure from past elections where they were the least likely to use mail-in voting. 

Concerns about the ability of the United States Postal Service to handle the milions of mail-in ballots forced House Congressional leaders to query Louis DeJoy, the Postmaster General, about his decision to streamline the agency and remove mail sorting machines months before what many consider the most consequential election in decades. Critics say DeJoy, a Trump appointee, acted at the behest of the White House which claims voter fraud is a problem when ballots are mailed.

With less than 40 days until the election, efforts to register more voters are ongoing with thousands signed up on National Voter Registration Day. 

Voting advocates are preaching a message of preparedness for November, urging Black Americans to have a plan for voting which includes checking their registratio, and knowing their rights. The Black Voters Matter Project spent the weekend in Pittsburgh, offering food and toys during its voter registration drive. 

When the mail-in ballot Palmer initally requested arrives, she says she will “throw it away,” knowing she has already exercised her right to vote which millions of others look forward to doing between now and November 3.