There is an emerging demographic group slowly changing the way we view politics and the future of political elections. And according to research conducted by the Voter Participation Center (VPC) and the Center for Voter Information (CVI), there are opportunities to increase voter registration among this group to spur electoral success.
The demographic known as the “New American Majority” (NAM) is comprised of people of color, young people, and unmarried women. Findings from the VPC/CVI study suggest that this rapidly growing group is predicted to make up a 6-percentage point larger share of the total voting-eligible population in 2030 than it did in 2010. Roughly six months out from the 2022 midterm elections, support from these historically under-represented voters and prospective voters will prove crucial.
“This new research underscores the importance and urgency of VPC’s and CVI’s work to engage the New American Majority through voter registration, mobilization, and education,” said Tom Lopach, President and CEO of the Voter Participation Center and Center for Voter Information in a release shared with EBONY. “It also highlights the growing electoral power of the NAM and serves as a road map for which geographies we must be engaged in during the coming elections. There is no shortage of opportunities to engage the NAM—and the work is vital to a truly representative democracy.”
After the 2016 U.S. presidential election, an invigorated group of activists, advocates, and public servants emerged from the political ashes. By 2018, the U.S. Congress ushered in the most diverse class of elected officials, and the momentum created by the new face of American policy has mostly persisted. The New American Majority has been instrumental in this shift, mobilizing at the polls and showing up in record numbers to cast votes.
According to the research, the NAM share of potential voters comprises more than half the citizen voting-age population in 39 states and D.C., and no less than 40 percent in the rest. It’s also expected to grow in many states. Within this growth is an increasing share of people of color, which is expected to reach 60 percent (up from 49 percent in 2010) by 2030.
Though the research presents positive movement for underrepresented groups, it also shines a light on a concerning turnout gap. “Higher turnout does not necessarily equal greater representation. While NAM turnout has increased in recent elections, sometimes dramatically, generally non-NAM turnout has increased as much or more in recent elections,” the key findings state.
It’s why VPC/CVI say the focus should be on key areas that include, locating where NAM voting eligible populations are largest and where they are growing most. Providing estimates of voter turnout and gaps compared to non-NAM groups so politicians and voter activists, alike, can close the gap by mobilizing eligible voters. And highlighting registration opportunities for the New American Majority to better understand states with low relative registration by age and race.
