The Impact of Voter Suppression on Black Communities

Wayne Ince
The Polis
Published in
9 min readAug 17, 2024

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A black voter
AI image by the author | A Black Vote

Voting strengthens democracy, allowing individuals to have a say in their government. But only some get to enjoy this fundamental right. Voter suppression has seriously impacted communities throughout history and is still a big problem. We need to recognize how voter suppression has unfairly targeted black communities. When addressing this problem, we must consider the legal implications, political consequences, and strategies for managing it. Some individuals who deny the election results are still disputing Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential race. Understanding the implications of voter suppression is essential, especially considering the small margin of victory in many swing states and a potentially tight presidential election in 2024.

Understanding Voter Suppression

Voter suppression involves actions aimed at hindering specific groups of people, particularly minorities and disadvantaged communities, from exercising their right to vote. These actions include implementing strict voter ID laws, reducing early voting opportunities, purging voter rolls, and gerrymandering. Minority populations and low-income communities are disproportionately impacted by these strategies, which hinder their ability to engage in the democratic process. Voter suppression erodes the fundamental values of equality and…

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Wayne Ince
The Polis

I write about social justice, mental health, and politics. Military Veteran USAF. Defense Meritorious Service Medal & Joint Service Commendation Medal 🎖️