2020’s States with the Highest Political Engagement Among African Americans

From Wallet Hub,  Feb 19, 2020

While black voters turned out at the polls in unprecedented numbers during the 2008 and 2012 elections, black voter turnout fell during the 2016 presidential election. The winner of that election, Donald Trump, received approximately 8 percent of the black vote, compared to 88% for his rival Hillary Clinton.

This year, black voters will account for around 12 percent of the national electorate. However, they make up roughly 24 percent of the Democratic primary electorate, which means they will play a key role in selecting 2020’s Democratic nominee. A January poll shows Joe Biden with 48% support among black Democrats, far above the next closest, Bernie Sanders with 20%.

Regardless of what candidates black voters choose to support, it’s clear that black Americans in some states are more politically engaged than those in other states. Identifying where on the map this demographic is most politically active — and therefore likely to maximize their electoral clout — helps to put this election year and racial-gap issues into context.

In honor of Black History Month and with presidential primaries in full swing, WalletHub compared 49 states across six key metrics that speak to the level of black political engagement. Their data set includes black voter turnout and registration during the most recent presidential and midterm elections as well as the proportional representation of blacks in the state legislature and national party conventions….

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Hawaii

• Political Engagement Rank – 42nd
• Score -- 41.93 points
• Black Voter Turnout in 2018 Midterm – 46th (4th worst)
• Voter ID Requirements – 18th easiest