The Apathetic Voter: Exploring the Contours of Black Non-voting in the US

• In Event: Unpacking Black Political Perspectives

Abstract

“No vote, no voice” is a common sentiment expressed among the Black community surrounding political participation. However, this rhetoric leaves members of the Black electorate who do not feel their political gains are being met by the current political system out of the discussion. These same individuals proved pivotal for the sudden decrease in Presidential turnout amongst Black individuals in the 2016 Presidential elections as well for this dissertation. Specifically, I seek to provide a modern profile of Black non-voters and posit a theory of Black voter apathy that explains a potential increase in Black non-voting in future presidential elections. This theory pulls from other theories in political science like political interest, external efficacy, and political apathy while also considering how relationships between the Black electorate and political participation function like linked fate and the understanding of Black counterpublics. I also employ conceptualizations of apathy from psychology scholars as well as Black nihilism from scholars of Black political thought. To further explore this phenomenon, I ask three research questions: 1) What is the status of Black voting and non-voting in 2020? 2) Under what conditions can Black non-voters be mobilized to vote? 3) How can a measure of Black voter apathy aid in the understanding of Black political participation? I engage with a quantitative approach to answer these research questions which includes pre-existing survey data, an original survey experiment, and a novel survey instrument. I contend that to remedy a potential rise of Black non-voting a new measure that encapsulates the psychological experience needs to be established. I propose a novel measure to best assess Black voter apathy within this dissertation for future research. Broadly, this dissertation seeks to advocate for those members of the Black electorate who feel disillusioned by electoral politics and seek alternative avenues for political engagement. Additionally, it seeks to serve as a nexus for Black political thought, psychology, and political science to craft a space in academia where all members of the Black electorate are better understood.

Author

• Alexandria Janee Davis, University of California, Los Angeles