The Impact of
African American
Women on the Vote
2012 African American Women Voters
According to the U.S.
Census and state voter
files, there are about
13,973,188 African
American women who are
voting-age U.S. citizens,
and 11,483,332 African
American women voted in
the 2012 presidential
election. About 82.1% of
African American women
citizens of voting age
voted.
The number of African American
women who voted in 2012 by state
African American Women as
Share of Vote
9.1%
9.0%
6.3%
Citizen
Voting-Age
Population
7,130,801 African American women voted in 2014
–about 51.0% of the citizen voting-age
population. African American women were 9.1%
of the vote in the 2012 election, and 9.0% of the
vote in the 2014 election. African American
women make up about 6.3% of the total citizen
voting age population (CVAP).
2012 Voters 2014 Voters
2012 Presidential Margin
Comparison
4,982,296
2012
11,483,332
African American women have the
power to change the vote at the
national level. In 2012, President Obama
won by 4,982,296 votes, when
11,483,332 African American women
voted.
0
5,000,000
Election Margin
10,000,000
15,000,000
African American Women
States where 2012 African American Women
Electorate was Larger than Presidential Margin
In each of the above states—Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia—the total number of African American women
voters in 2012 was greater than the 2012 presidential vote margin. For example, 707,719
African American women voted in Florida in 2012, and President Obama won the state by
just 74,309 votes. These states combined account for 134 electoral votes—almost exactly
half of the votes needed to secure the presidency. African American women voters have
the power to change the vote and are highly influential at the national level.
2012 Presidential Margin Comparison: States
FL
GA
LA
MS
NC
OH
PA
SC
VA
0
100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000 800,000 900,000
2012 Presidential Margin
African American Women Voting in 2012
Methodology: An analysis of the U.S. Census Voting and Registration Reports from 2012 and 2012, compared to the TargetSmart voter
file, accessed May 2016. Electoral results via the AP and FEC.