In 2008, 69 percent of black women eligible to vote cast their ballot for President Barack Obama. Now, Ebony contributor Zerlina Maxwell writes, this group is especially targeted by new voter-ID laws, which may keep them away from the polls.
Unsurprisingly, Black women are also among those groups more likely to be impacted by voter ID laws in the battleground states this year. There are a number of community groups across the country taking on the important role of navigator to assist people with the new laws which might scare potential voters away this year. These groups, along with aggressive registration efforts by Obama for America (who have made the female voter a top priority), will surely be given a great deal of credit if President Obama wins a second term.
The latest battleground state polls show that President Obama continues to hold a small but consistent lead over his challenger Mitt Romney, a fact that won't necessarily make Team Obama less anxious. Good polling data for the president may end up having a negative effect on turnout, with voters thinking a second term is in the bag, thus deeming their votes unnecessary.
That's why voter registration and turnout efforts like those being spearheaded by the campaign directly and by organizations like the National Coalition of Civic Participation and the NAACP are so important; It's important to get the message out to the community that the only polling that matters is the one on election day and this election is in no way guaranteed to go Obama's way.
With voter registration deadlines fast approaching, there is a real sense of urgency among Obama supporters to register as many people as possible to set up the turnout operation in a little over a month from now.
Read Zerlina Maxwell's entire piece at Ebony.
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