Black Voters Matter (BVM) “We Fight Back” campaign and bus tour is kicking off in South Carolina for the 2024 election cycle.
From January 25 through January 28, BVM is hosting a three-day convening in Charleston, SC alongside other “local and national voting rights organizations, social justice advocates, faith leaders, and HBCU students” ahead of the state’s Feb. 3 Democratic primary.
Per the press release, “[t]he convening aims to uplift the critical role Black voters will play in the 2024 presidential elections and to emphasize the strength of the Black electorate even in the face of ongoing attacks on voting rights.”
There will be a variety of activities including canvassing the community, a town hall about voting rights, a service day “focused on understanding the needs and interests of South Carolina voters,” and trainings on capacity-building for organizations. In addition, there will also be “a Gen Z training and an uncensored political conversation as a part of the Take the Field initiative.”
The think tank Brookings Institution provided commentary on why this electorate matters, writing “[t]he importance of Black voters to Democratic primary candidates has been clear for decades, particularly in areas where Black residents form a majority.”
According to Pew Research Center, “[t]he number of Black eligible voters in the United States is projected to reach 34.4 million in November 2024 after several years of modest growth.” This becomes especially significant considering that Black voters have higher turnout rates than their Latino and Asian eligible counterparts combined with the fact that “74% of all Black residents of…South Carolina are eligible to vote.”
BVM co-founder LaTosha Brown told ESSENCE, “Part of the significance of the primary season being kicked off in South Carolina is because it was Black voters, led by Black women in particular, who have been leading the way for the country.”
Thus, some pundits use these results for future projections because it is “the first primary for the [Democratic] party in the 2024 nationwide election cycle.” As such, “the South Carolina Democratic primary is the first contest where candidates face a majority black electorate, a key Democratic voting bloc.”
“What we know is that Black women are on the frontlines of change, we are the voice and vision of our communities, and we will get out the vote in 2024,” added Brown. “We are so excited to launch our ‘We Fight Back’ campaign and convening in South Carolina as we spread love, build power, and remind Black folk to fight back against injustice.”
“Just as in previous years, we find ourselves gathered here at this critical moment because we believe that Black voters are going to lead the way again in 2024,” Brown continued.
And President Biden also has his eyes on the Palmetto State. He will be attending a dinner in Columbia, SC a week ahead of voting day.