US black college students gain power ahead of Election Day

The nonprofit Vote.org told Reuters it has registered more than 1 million voters ages 18 to 24 this election cycle, targeting underrepresented groups and newcomers in campaigns and other student outreach efforts on HBCU campuses and in areas with large numbers of voters of color.

Vote.org CEO Andrea Haley noted “unprecedented” youth participation this election cycle, with voters under age 35 accounting for nearly 80 percent of all new registrations on the organization’s platform during the 2024 cycle, up from 64 percent in 2020.

Justice Montgomery, a freshman at North Carolina A&T, registered to vote in July during music camp. The drummer plans to vote on campus along with other members of the Blue & Gold Marching Machine.

“Initially, I couldn’t even imagine voting,” the Georgia native said. “We took a break from music just to dive deeper” into some voting issues, Montgomery said after performing at the N.C. A&T Homecoming Parade to applause that also greeted the dance teams; the campus king, queen, and other members of the “royal court”; and a banner of blue balloons that read “Kamala.”

BlackPAC CEO Adrianna Shropshire said homecoming events allow candidates to make that final push and have “meaningful conversations with people who are still on the fence.”

BlackPAC, a left-leaning political action committee, partnered with Howard University students to engage their peers during their centennial homecoming celebration.

Howard student Chloe Enoch, 21, said this year’s election and Harris’ run has already inspired the younger generation.

Harris, the most famous HBCU alumna, has been featured on clothing, pins and other merchandise. Howard alumnae waved paper fans with her face on the front and early voting and election dates on the back.