5 days ago
12
In every election, turnout matters, but when Black folks turn out in large numbers, things change.
Think back to 2008, and again in 2012: Black folk got out and voted and helped make history twice by electing Barack Obama as this nation’s 44th president. Think back to 2018, right here in Alabama, when Black women carried the load, got out and voted, and helped elect Doug Jones, to the Senate against all odds in ruby red Alabama.
In the 2026 election, African American voters could meaningfully affect outcomes in Alabama and across the nation if we vote in large numbers.
Alabama offers one of the clearest examples of how Black voters can shape election results. African Americans make up a substantial share of the state’s population and electorate, particularly in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, the Black Belt, and other communities. While Alabama election results have been politically conservative in statewide races, high Black turnout could affect races at every level, including races for Congress, the state Legislature, county offices, and local positions. In close races, a modest increase in Black voter participation can matter as much or more than a major shift in public opinion.
According to reports I have seen, Alabama has a little over 3.2 million active registered voters, and nearly 850,000 are Black, about 27% of active registered voters. In the last general election, only 59% of active registered voters, under 2 million people, voted in Alabama. In Jefferson County alone, more than 189,000 Black voters are registered, and the Alabama Secretary of State’s office listed more than 60,000 voters as inactive because they moved or didn’t always vote.
Think about it: if Black folks get out and vote, things change.
High participation also influences the issues. When people vote in large numbers, campaigns have to address their concerns directly. In Alabama, issues include public education, health care access, voting rights, criminal justice, economic development, infrastructure, disaster recovery, and jobs that pay fair wages.
In 2026, rural Alabama communities face issues that affect voters, including hospital closures, transportation, broadband access, and agricultural conditions. If you live in a city, it is housing, public safety, and employment opportunities. If people get out and vote, we force candidates to address these issues.
Nationally, Black voters’ impact could be even greater. Black folks do not get to vote for the presidency (missed that vote in 2024), but control of Congress (the House and the Senate) and many state governments are within reach. With that, voting could result in more control over the country’s direction.
States across the South are particularly important: Georgia, North Carolina, and other states with large African American populations have competitive congressional, gubernatorial, and legislative races. Black voters in the Midwest and Northeast can also influence close races in metropolitan areas and heavily contested districts. In all of these scenarios, turnout matters, and think about it: with Black folks making up around 14% of the overall vote…if Black folks get out and vote, things change.
I realize that political fatigue and disappointment with government can reduce participation and keep people from the polls. I have had countless conversations with people convinced their vote does not matter. And as I try to convince them that is not the case, I spend time reminding them of the sacrifices their ancestors made just for them to have the right to vote. If it didn’t matter, why did so many die for the right to do it?
We have to realize there is no perfect candidate or political party; you have to find a party and candidates that align most with your values. And then you have to take the next step and vote. It does no good to sit on the sideline and complain.
So, if I have convinced you to go to the polls on November 3rd, here is what you need to do:
- Confirm your registration status. You can do that by going to https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview. You can find your voting status and polling place there.
- See what is on your ballot
- Look up your voting site
- See ID requirements and find polling hours
- Research candidates
- Take a friend and ask your friend to take a friend
- VOTE
If you check your status online and find you are listed as inactive, call your county registrar. You should be able to go to the registrar’s office up to the day before the election and update your information.
If you get to your polling place and are told you are inactive — do NOT cast a provisional ballot. Casting a provisional ballot means your ballot may be counted later, or not at all.
Poll workers should be able to provide inactive voters with a Voter Reidentification/Update Form. If the poll worker does not know about it, ask to speak to the site supervisor.
I realize that politics can be frustrating and at times it may seem that your vote does not matter, but history has proven that when Black folk get out and vote…things change.
Samuel P. Martin is President and Publisher of the Birmingham Times.
