The NAACP recently released its first round of polling results for Black voters as election season gets underway.
The study, announced in a press release, was conducted alongside Hart Research and HIT Strategies. It focuses on approximately 14.5 million voters across 12 states where Black Americans significantly impact voting results.
In their conclusion, the NAACP found that protecting rights and freedoms takes priority over other concerns, such as economic issues, when it comes to what Black voters are looking for elected leaders to achieve.
The study also identified specific concerns about the economy. Most Black voters are concerned with rising inflation rates, as the cost of housing, food and utilities remained a high issue.
Despite concerns about the state of the country, Black voters are excited about this election season as 78% said that they feel the same level or more excitement than when President Barack Obama first ran in 2008. About 56% said they felt more excited.
TODAY | Tune in as NAACP President and CEO @DerrickNAACP joins @CBCFInc's National Town Hall as part of #ALC53.
— NAACP (@NAACP) September 12, 2024
He'll join fellow panelists and moderator @DonLemon for a discussion focused on where the country stands in its commitment to the ideals of democracy ahead of the… pic.twitter.com/WVpb8bKOi7
“This election season, we’ve witnessed a surge of enthusiasm among Black voters that we haven’t seen in some time. But we cannot be distracted – there are still voters to be reached. Make no mistake, our lives depend on our votes,” said the president of the NAACP and CEO, Derrick Johnson, per the press release. “This November, casting our ballots will be more than just us exercising our right to vote – it is the key to the future of our culture and our community.”
The results of the NAACP’s latest survey come as new polling from ABC News and Ipsos revealed no change in the election race. Following last Tuesday’s debate, according to the outlets, 52% of voters are still in support of Vice President Kamala Harris. Approximately 46% remain supporters of Donald Trump.
The gap between the two candidates is reportedly unchanged from the polling conducted from August 23 to August 27.
According to the survey, women and young supporters give Harris the edge in the race. Approximately 55% of women are likely to vote for Harris while nearly 60% of voters under the age of 30 are also likely to support her election.
After their meeting, however, more Americans broadly believed that Harris won the debate; approximately 58% said Harris won compared to 36% who believed Trump did.
A second debate was originally planned; Trump has since refused to take the stage alongside Harris in what would be considered a rematch.
