She the People Poll: VP Pick, Key Issues Will Drive High Women of Color Turnout

For Immediate Release

Friday, July 31, 2020

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press@shethepeople.org

Women of Color in Politics Nationwide Want a Woman of Color VP and Expanded Supreme Court

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, She the People released the 2020 National Women of Color Agenda Survey on what the Democratic Party and Joe Biden campaign can do to inspire turnout in November. With less than 100 days until the election, the poll taps into the key determinant of the presidential election: voter enthusiasm and potential turnout. The poll surveyed 557 top women of color in politics -- from elected officials to state grassroots leaders to voter turnout program directors -- with representation from across racial lines, age, and sexual orientation. 

“Women of color are the margin of victory, and these leaders in battleground states know what it will take to win,” said She the People Founder and President Aimee Allison. “We want a woman of color as Biden’s VP pick, support for women of color down ballot, and key policy plans that speak to our communities. Women of color can ensure a blue wave for Democrats, but that requires real investment.”

Topline Results: 

• 71% say a woman of color as Biden’s Vice President was important or very important.

• A majority of those surveyed want Biden to:

  • Commit 20% of White House cabinet positions be women of color (56%)

  • Expand the Supreme Court and filling all new seats with women of color (54%)

  • Establish a White House Office on Racial Justice (52%)

• A majority say they would be more enthusiastic about the Biden campaign if he came out with a strong plan to:

  • Redirect federal funding of incarceration and policing to the community (52%)

  • Implement Medicare for All (53%)

• For the Democratic party as a whole, the majority of those surveyed indicated that in order to inspire women of color voters in 2020, the Democratic Party should:

  • Ensure every Democratic policy platform plank is explicitly anti-racist (64%)

  • Create a women of color candidate pipeline training and support program (58%)

  • Invest $50 million in women-of-color led grassroots community groups organizing voters in swing states (51%)

The survey was conducted July 10 - July 17, 2020.

“Women of color will clearly be the ones deciding this election and should be a top priority for everyone working to defeat Trump,” said Royce Brooks, Executive Director of Annie’s List. “There should be no doubt that women of color, especially Black women, are the future of our party. Anyone who is serious about the long-term success of the Democratic Party should prioritize resources for women of color — both as voters and as leaders.”

“Women of color are some of the strongest supporters of the Democratic party,” said Corryn Freeman, a Florida-based political strategist. “Black Women in particular have been a critically faithful voting bloc ushering in victories in close races across the country. Yet, all too often, women of color are an afterthought when it comes to candidate recruitment and development of political strategy. Centering the voices of BIWOC at the strategy table and on the campaign trail is a necessary imperative for the Biden campaign team to achieve victory in November.”

“Women of color have been in places of worship, homes, and on the streets organizing to ensure all our communities are cared for,” said Mia Ives-Rublee, Field Director for Down Home NC. “Yet we have often been ignored by the political establishment. It is time for Vice President Biden and the DNC to ensure that we remain a priority, supporting down ballot candidates and establishing more pipeline programs for positions in the highest levels of the government."

“The Biden campaign has to do more than simply reach out to communities of color to win our votes,” said Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, candidate for Pima County Recorder. “Not only must you invest in the building of genuine relationships with communities who feel left behind, you must also invest in bold policy stances that address the life or death situations that our communities are currently organizing behind.”

The survey comes on the heels of a memo from She the People to the Biden campaign detailing what women of color leading voter turnout efforts needed on the ground to inspire enthusiasm. The memo’s suggestions that Biden select a woman of color as his vice president and update his platform with a bold vision for communities of color were reiterated in this polling.

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She the People is a national network connecting women of color to transform our democracy. We are elevating and amplifying the voice and power of women of color as leaders, political strategists, organizers, and voters. She the People is building an inclusive, multiracial coalition driving a new progressive political and cultural era. Connect with She The People on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.