Early voting data reveals enthusiasm gap for young black men, Latinos

ORLANDO, Fla. — Despite record-breaking turnout, some early voting data shows cause for concern for campaign managers when it comes to voter enthusiasm.

Experts say there’s been a surge in voter enthusiasm among black and latino men, but their increase isn’t keeping pace with many other groups.

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Valencia College Professor Maria Puerta-Riera says campaigns have been taking note of this trend since voting started.

“Change is about changing structures, and they don’t see that...they don’t have any incentive to vote,” she says.

University of Central Florida Professor Larry Walker says the Biden campaign has been “acutely” aware that they need to do more outreach, recently featuring President Barack Obama at rallies in Philadelphia, and here in Florida just this week.

Walker says, historically, campaigns have spent a lot of time talking at black men, rather than with them, and therefore don’t understand the feelings of frustration driving some away from the polls.

“When you’ve seen historical poverty through generation from generation to generation, and you have to ask yourself, why should I vote? So it’s a two pronged issue,” Walker says.

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The other prong, walker says, is similarly deep-seeded: "You have to recognize that voter suppression, for generations, particularly the black community, has an impact on whether black men want to go out and vote.

Cox Media Group