Political Participation 

When the Joint Center opened its doors in 1970, our first research area focused on African American Political Participation. The institution’s work in this area is widely acknowledged as among the best in the field. The Joint Center’s Roster of Black Elected Officials, as well as its National Opinion Polls of African Americans, have been signature products since the founding of the organization. Work on Voting Rights and Redistricting issues (and related promotional work on the decennial Census) has been conducted with every Census cycle.

During even numbered years, the Joint Center produces reports on demographics and election statistics used by Get Out the Vote (GOTV) organizations and provides post-election reports examining the black vote. In addition to tracking African Americans’ engagement in electoral politics, the Joint Center also researches their involvement in party politics. In every presidential election year since 1972, the Joint Center has compiled information on black participation in major party conventions.

 Learn more about the Joint Center Research on Politics. [Click here]