The former first lady asked all African-American voters through a video to go to the polls during the legislative elections in November; the video was produced by the organization When We All Vote
The former first lady of the United States Michelle Obama insisted this Friday on the importance of African-American voters going to the polls during the legislative elections in November, especially when “it is increasingly difficult to vote” in some parts of the country.
“We see how some polling stations are closed, voting hours are cut, and voters are removed from the lists,” Obama denounced during a video to encourage electoral participation on the occasion of National Black Voter Day, an initiative of the chain of BET television that was born in 2020.
Since the electoral victory of Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential elections, several states governed by Republicans, such as Georgia or Texas, have passed laws that restrict the right to vote.
These restrictions range from limiting the ability to vote by mail to requiring government photo identification, something many voters in the United States do not have.
In fact, studies show that the requirement to show official identification when voting reduces the number of African-American voters who go to the polls, something that traditionally benefits Republicans.
Conservatives argue that these restrictions are necessary to ensure that election results are not tainted, in line with former President Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated accusation that the 2020 election was rigged.
The video, in which the American basketball player Chris Paul also participates, was produced by the organization When We All Vote, founded by the former first lady in 2018 to encourage the electoral participation of African Americans.
During the 2020 election, more than 70% of white voters who registered to vote – a requirement in the US electoral system – cast their ballots, while the percentage of blacks who voted was 63%, according to data. of the Brennan Center for Justice.