Group Aims To Boost Black Voter Turnout Ahead Of Primary

CHARLOTTE, NC —  Colette Forrest from the Charlotte Black Voter Project said for the last few years there has been a downtrend in black voters. 

“There has continued to be since 2020 a precipitous drop of black voter participation,” Forrest. 

In 2020 half of Mecklenburg County’s black registered voters cast a ballot – in 2023 that number dropped to only 71,0000. 

“People just aren’t making that connection of how local politics really affects your lives everyday,” Colette said. 

Forrest said  the goal of the nonpartisan volunteer group is to get black voters to the polls. 

However she said many voters are forgetting the importance of local elections, especially ahead of the primary . 

“Local politics affect your everyday life more than the presidential election. So many people are focused on the presidential election and given that President Biden doesn’t have a competitive primary himself we don’t have the resources to help drive our voters, especially black voters to the polls,” Forrest. 

The message isn’t lost on some black voters who have already cast their ballots. 

It’s definitely important for black voters specifically to get out because there are so many issues that impact us that our elected officials are making, so if we’re not out voting we don’t get the opportunity to put people who we feel represent our interests in office,” Brandi Williams said. 

Forrest said  getting more black voters to the polls will be critical for both the primary and general election. 

“This is why these elections are so important, but people have to make the connection. More than that they’ve got to begin to show up in higher numbers.” 

Early voting for the primary ends March 2. 

Primary election day is March 5.