Survey Reveals Five Distinct Political Groups Among Black Voters

Organizers say identifying Black voter groups helps refine engagement strategies.

A new survey sheds light on the diverse perspectives of Black voters and their approaches to various election issues.

The Guardian reports that Sojourn Strategies’ survey identifies Black voters as falling into one or more of five categories: legacy civil rights voters, secular progressives, next-gen traditionalists, rightfully cynical, and race-neutral conservatives.

“These clusters indicate that there are incredible differences within the Black community, in terms of how people think about democracy and their role in our democracy,” said Katrina Gamble, CEO of Sojourn Strategies.

The survey of 2,034 registered voters and 918 unregistered voters found that 41% were legacy civil rights voters who tended to be over 50 years old and had high rates of voter turnout. This group tends to believe their vote can drive positive change.

In contrast, a group considered more cynical, making up 22% of respondents, was the youngest and least likely to vote. Shaped by their experiences with racism and encounters with law enforcement, they felt their votes carried less weight compared to what the older generation believed.

The next-gen traditionalists, the most religious and least educated group, featured millennial and Gen-Z voters. They composed 18% of respondents and were a low-voter turnout group with a moderate belief in the power of voting.

The secular progressives make up a relatively small group—12%. The group is also the most likely to vote and generally composed of highly-educated women voters.

The last group, the race-neutral conservatives, is mostly male and is the second-oldest and most conservative group. That group represents 7% of the respondents and has a moderate voter turnout rate with the tendency to point to systemic barriers to voting on personal choice.

According to Sojourn Strategies, several groups have engaged voters with campaigns tailored to increasing their participation in the civic process. These groups include the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, New Georgia Project, Black Leaders Organizing Communities in Wisconsin, Michigan’s Detroit Action, Faith In Florida, and POWER Interfaith in Pennsylvania.

“When Black people feel powerful, they vote,” Gamble explained in an April 2024 op-ed in The Hill written with Terrance Woodbury. “When they feel powerless, they don’t. Just dumping millions of dollars into advertising, especially at the last minute, won’t empower Black voters to effect change with their votes. Instead, investments should be made in Black-led power-building organizations already deeply engaged with their local communities.”

Gamble continued, “Ultimately, candidates need to treat Black voters like the sophisticated political agents they are. They must understand the nuances and differences in Black political thought and behavior. They will have to court them and persuade them. And they need to start now, not after Labor Day.”