Sacramento Bee: Why California Needs to Increase Racially Diverse Participation in Our Democracy
By: John Dobard, Manager of Political Voice
Our democracy has come alive. The weeks after the 2016 election have been a time of deep concern for many people in the U.S. In response, people are marching and protesting, contacting their elected officials and adding their names to petitions.
This postelection surge in political participation is promising. But will it mark a long-term shift in the status quo for democratic engagement? The truth is, for far too long, levels of political participation have been generally low – and marked with tremendous racial and economic disparity. Individuals with higher levels of income and education have participated at higher rates than their lower-income and less educated counterparts, and whites have participated at higher rates than people of color.