Rumor vs Reality

Question: How does voter depression stifle the Black and Brown vote? Reality: The right is trying to convince Black and Brown voters their vote won't change anything - depressing their vote.
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on email

This card was produced in partnership with the Stop Digital Voter Suppression Project.

“Voter Depression” campaigns work to dampen enthusiasm for a popular candidate. Many were aimed at Black and Brown communities in 2016 and now again in 2020. Their goal is to make sure that Black and Brown people don’t vote – or that a few voters switch sides.

Voter depression campaigns take many forms. Strategies and tactics vary — from using Black social media influencers to share videos saying that voting will not end systemic racism or police violence — to engaging Black celebrities (and their personal campaigns) to send negative and misleading messages about Democratic candidates. Republican party operatives also worked to get Kanye West onto ballots across the country in an attempt to get a few Black votes away from Democrats.

All of this is meant to confuse and depress Black and Brown voters, and reduce their support for Democratic Candidates.

References

Related cards

See an error in our work? Please let us know and include the source of your info. We’ll update or correct as appropriate.

Search

Get Reality in Your Inbox

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.