White women have 100 days to help save the world

Since the 1950s, a majority of white women have voted Republican in all but two presidential elections. But if we mobilize, we can help elect the first woman, a Black and AAPI woman, as President.

Just hours after President Joe Biden announced that he wasn’t running in 2024 and would, instead, endorse his Vice President, Kamala Harris, Black women were already working behind the scenes to map out the new electoral landscape. For example, an ad hoc call organized by “Win with Black Women” on a Sunday afternoon that only held enough space for 1,000 callers was so quickly overwhelmed by demand that one of the organizers had to call the CEO of Zoom to get more capacity. The number of callers shared in real-time on Twitter quickly ticked up: 17,000, 25,000, 40,000. By the end of the four-hour call, over 44,000 women had Zoomed in, and over one million dollars had been raised to support Vice President Harris.

This isn’t new, of course. Black women are often referred to as the backbone of the Democratic Party — reliable and loyal voters whose support can make or break a candidate. They’ve become a crucial voting bloc in American presidential elections, consistently showing strong support for Democratic candidates and overwhelmingly supporting presidential candidates who pledge to protect the most vulnerable and marginalized people in America. In fact, in both 2008 and 2012, Black women voted at a higher rate than all other race/gender subgroups for the first time in U.S. history. And, in 2016 and 2020, over 90 percent of Black women voters supported the Democratic presidential candidates: Hillary Clinton and President Biden.

But even as Black women are already building a powerful coalition to empower their presidential candidate, their votes alone aren’t enough to win this race — white women, who make up approximately 39 percent of the electorate, are the largest voting bloc in America, which is why we must also mobilize to help elect Vice President Harris. Unfortunately, we’re saddled with some significant historical baggage. Since the 1950s, white women in America have consistently and disappointingly voted Republican in presidential elections. Between 1952 and 2016, most white women voted for the Republican presidential candidate in all but two presidential elections. And despite repeated predictions that white suburban women could shift toward a Democratic candidate, in 2016, 47 percent of white women ended up voting for Donald Trump, compared to 45 percent for Secretary Hillary Clinton. And in 2020, 55 percent of white women voted for Donald Trump, compared to 44 percent for President Biden (64 percent of white women without a college degree voted for Trump, compared to 35 percent for Biden).

White women voting for Republicans, even when it appears to be against their best interests, is a complex phenomenon influenced by privilege, systemic racism and sexism, religious affiliations and, of course, the patriarchy. But we’re not a monolithic group; our voting patterns are typically divided along lines of religion, education, and marital status, and that division makes us not only a crucial voting bloc, but an unpredictable one — even small shifts in our voting behavior can have significant impacts on election outcomes. In other words, if we start doing the work right now, we can create a shift in voting momentum that will help Black women elect Vice President Harris as President in just 100 days.

Having spent the last decade organizing millions of women — many of them white women like me — I know firsthand the impact we can have when we use our economic and political power for good. Here are some ways to make this the election when a majority of us come together and finally vote en masse for a woman and a Democrat:

Do the work: It isn’t enough to just send in a donation; host a fundraiser (or several) in person or online. It isn’t enough just to vote; go online and find door-knocking and phone banking events near you, and participate every week. It isn’t enough to support the Vice President silently; people will tell you a Black, AAPI woman can’t get elected. It’s up to you to push back on every single one of those people.

Have the conversations: As a white woman, you are the best messenger to convince other white women who to vote for and why. Your community networks and relationships with white family members and friends are fertile ground for transformation and conversion. Emphasize your shared values, such as family, community, freedom and safety. Build coalitions and bring new supporters into the fold. Start persuading!

Use your privilege for good: White women have unique economic and power privileges that they can tap into and unleash to help the Vice President. Can you get a rally permit? Can you rent a venue? Can you become an influencer online or in your community? Can you counter misinformation? List all the ways you can use your access to help elect the Vice President and then take action.

Be in it for the long haul: Recognize that shifting political allegiances is a long-term process that requires sustained engagement beyond election cycles. This doesn't end when we elect Vice President Harris. We'll need to keep at it the day after we win. As Alice Walker said, “Activism is my rent for living on the planet.” It should be clear by now that none of us can afford to stay on the sidelines ever again.

Vote like your freedoms and safety depend on it: I'm talking to you, white moderate and Republican women. Time again, too many of you vote against your own best interests — and against the interests of Black women — because white supremacy is in your own best interest. Voting for the Vice President is in EVERYONE'S best interest.

Here are some resources to help get you started:

United for Harris

Moms Demand Action

KamalaHarris.com

As Brittany Packnett Cunningham has said, “Your whiteness will not save you from what the patriarchy has in store for you.” Electing Vice President Harris will help save you and heal the nation.