Expert: Young Black Voters Are Asking Democrats to Earn Their Votes
Something is shifting among young Black voters. The generation that grew up watching Democrats campaign for their votes is increasingly questioning whether the party has earned their loyalty. And now, they’re being vocal about who — and what — is really driving them to the polls.
For many, this isn’t a rejection of Democratic politics. It’s a rejection of being expected to show up every election without seeing enough change once the votes are counted. As The Root has previously reported, many Black voters across ages and backgrounds continue to vocalize the same sentiment ahead of the November midterms.
So, we spoke to Tylik McMillan, the NAACP’s national director of youth and college, about the main issues young voters are facing.
“They’re frustrated because they don’t see the outcomes oftentimes, and they’re tired of being pawns for elections,” McMillan told The Root in an exclusive interview. “They’re tired of being used for votes and feeling as if their ideas and what they bring to this space is not being appreciated.”
That frustration is prompting some to completely reconsider their vote. Data collected by Axios showed that Black voters are still overwhelmingly Democratic and increasingly progressive. However, when it comes to the upcoming election, they are keeping their options open.
Now, organizations that have traditionally mobilized Black voters are rethinking how they engage younger generations. McMillan said one priority for the NAACP is reaching Black men directly and meeting them where they are.
“We have to have real conversations around politics, what’s affecting their lives, why they feel the way that they feel,” he said, adding that the organization is focused on understanding “where are the gaps” as it works to engage Black men during the midterm cycle.
The outreach comes at a time when political exhaustion is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. McMillan said young people are tired, and that acknowledging that exhaustion is important.
“It’s okay to be exhausted,” he said. “We are living in [historic] moments. And the question is, what side of history do we stand on?”
Many are answering that question by throwing their support behind newer candidates willing to challenge the Democratic establishment. Consider the recent campaigns of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Democratic nominee for D.C. mayor Janeese Lewis George, and Florida Senate candidate Angie Nixon, all of whom identify as or are backed by the Democratic Socialists of America. In each case, newer voices have built campaigns around engaging younger voters and tackling the issues affecting their communities, an approach The Root has previously reported on.
As we near November, nearly 50 million Gen Zers will be eligible to vote, making them one of the largest voting blocs in the country.
McMillan pointed to students at North Carolina A&T University, students who protested apartheid and Dreamers who fought for protections under DACA as examples of young people who continued showing up when doing so wasn’t easy.
“You have to really channel that and be strategic about it,” he said.
For McMillan, history offers reason for optimism even amid the current frustration.
“If our political power is diluted, then we’re continuing to fight an uphill battle,” he added. “What gives me hope is, you know, I come from a people in a bloodline that has always stood the test of time.”
