Closing the Black Gender Gap: Evidence from the Georgia 2022 Midterm Election

• In Event: To Save the Soul of America: Black Politics and the State of American Democracy

Abstract

Voter turnout is one of the most researched topics in political behavior, and one of the most persistent findings is that female voters participate at higher rates than male voters. This effect is most pronounced among Black voters. Black women consistently participate at higher rates than Black male voters, and evidence suggests that the gender turnout gap between Black men and women is increasing. What factors drive this result? Do Black women always turn out at higher rates than Black men? This paper aims to answer these questions using turnout data from the 2022 Midterm in Georgia. Guided by past research on the gender turnout gap, we highlight candidate and jurisdiction-level factors. For candidate-level factors, we investigate the race, gender, and incumbency of each candidate on the ballot during the primary and general elections. For jurisdiction-level factors, we look at the relative size of the Black population, the partisan makeup, and the competitiveness of the election. The results from this study will provide insight into factors that can close the turnout gap between Black men and Black women.

Author

• Kevin Sparrow, Georgia State University