Democracy

Why this issue matters for racial equity?

Prior to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, many states used policies such as poll taxes and literacy tests to prevent Blacks from voting. Even after the voting barriers of the Jim Crow era were removed, lawmakers today continue to pursue policies that would discriminate and discourage people of color from voting.

 

Policy levers:

Community leaders in CA are currently building a new electorate, pushing for policies that empower and shift resources for low-income communities of color and building political power.

 

Indicators:

Voter participation in national and local elections, voter registration, census participation, and descriptive representation of elected officials.

Key Takeaways

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Elections
Significant racial disparities exist in midterm and presidential elections.
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Voter Turnout
The higher voter turnout in presidential elections somewhat narrows the racial disparity in turnout, but not completely.
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Elected Representation
White representation among elected officials is more than double that of all other races.
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Native Americans
Fresno County has the State's only Native American county-level elected official.

Racial Disparity Across Indicators

Lowest Disparity
Highest Disparity
05 of 7 key issues

Democracy

Voting is the primary mode of political participation in the United States and is central to ensuring that elected representatives and statutory initiatives address community needs.

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    CALIFORNIA
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