West Atlanta resident Willie Blackmon says he had no problem walking two blocks to his local polling station to cast his ballot ahead of Election Day, but he has concerns about whether his neighbors have the means or mobility to get out and vote.
“We got a bunch of elderly people where I live. Most of them walk with canes and don’t have transportation,” said Blackmon, 60. “They can’t do that type of walking. That’s too far for them. They want to vote, but it can be difficult.”
Blackmon lives within the 30314 ZIP code, a pocket of the city north of Interstate 20 that includes majority-Black neighborhoods like Vine City and Bankhead and is known for its rich civil rights history and iconic institutions like Morehouse College. But it’s also an area that has experienced economic hardship and low voter turnout rates.
While the overall Fulton County voter participation rate in the 2020 general election was about 66%, multiple voting precincts in the aforementioned ZIP code reported that only around 30% of registered voters cast ballots, with one precinct reporting a single-digit percentage, according to data from the state’s secretary office.
Every vote will be crucial in the upcoming election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, especially in swing states like Georgia, where the 2020 presidential election was decided by less than 12,000 votes. In partnership with Canopy Atlanta, Capital B Atlanta called hundreds of registered voters within the 30314 ZIP code and talked to residents at Charles L. Harper Memorial Park in an effort to understand previous low turnout rates and possible barriers to voting this community faces.
The vast majority of the approximately 90 community residents we spoke with said they had already voted or planned to do so on Election Day. Several of the people we contacted weighed in with what they considered plausible barriers to voting in their community.
Like Blackmon, a handful of community members cited limited transportation options as a reason their neighbors may not have made it to the polls in previous elections. One voter said few tenants living in his residential building own cars, and suggested some of the polling sites are a bit remote.
Another voter said she and her daughter had to rideshare to their local voting precinct last month. She also expressed a desire for more transportation options for senior residents to travel to and from the polls.
Some organizations have answered the call. Nonprofit voter mobilization group New Georgia Project has been coordinating free rides to polling places through the early voting period, with plans to continue on Election Day. Local churches have coordinated “Souls to the Polls” trips last month as well. Meanwhile, Uber and Lyft are offering discounted Election Day pricing nationwide, and Lime is granting customers with free round trip electric bike and electric scooter rentals on Nov. 5.
Still, even for those with access to a car, some may not have the internal drive to vote due to an apparent lack of consistent voter engagement. Glenn Bonsu said he has noticed recently ramped-up political engagement in his neighborhood, but he would like to see these efforts taken proactively and not just when candidates are scraping for votes.
“I got a dozen calls in the past three weeks — more than the past three years,” said the 42-year-old resident, adding that he plans to vote in the 2024 general election. “We’ve got to get in front of the curve.”
Blackmon, who lives off Sunset Avenue, agrees.
“I haven’t seen anybody come out here talking about voting,” he said. “I’ve lived here for 10 years, and in all that time, I have had one person knock on my door to talk to me about voting.”
Harris and Trump have both interacted with West Atlanta communities this year. The latter visited a Vine City Chick-fil-A in April, while the Harris campaign hosted a community BBQ with rapper Pastor Troy in Washington Park last month, as well as tailgate gatherings in Vine City that were affiliated with the Atlanta Falcons and the Divine Nine, respectively.
Some residents also mentioned that voter turnout may have been low previously due to the frequent migration of people in and out of the community.
“Not a lot of people live here anymore,” said R. Verone, a registered voter in the area who said he is one of the more than 4 million Georgians to vote early in this year’s general election.
The majority of registered voters Capital B Atlanta contacted last month in the voting precinct served by Flipper Temple AME Church, which saw a 7% turnout in 2020 — the lowest of all sites in the area — said they no longer live in the community.
The vacancy rate in the 30314 ZIP code is around 23%, which is more than triple metro Atlanta’s 7% rate, according to data from Census Reporter.
Why some West Atlanta residents are opting out of this year’s election
A minority of the residents Capital B Atlanta contacted said they would not be voting this year due to apathy toward the electoral process or dissatisfaction with the candidates.
Monica, who declined to share her last name, is a 44-year-old registered voter living in the area who has cast a ballot in every presidential election since she turned 18. The lifelong Atlanta resident says she does not plan to vote this year, as she feels let down by both national and local elected officials.
“The last time I voted was when Trump was the president to get him out the office and get Biden in the office,” Monica said. “We’ve been screwed ever since.”
Other residents who told Capital B Atlanta they will not vote in this election responded similarly. Some, like 34-year-old Kerri Vasser, doubted their livelihoods would change regardless of who wins.
“No matter who is in office, you’ll have to survive on your own anyways,” Vasser said.
Monica wants politicians to visit struggling Black neighborhoods to see the challenges everyday people face.
“Stop helping rich people who already have money,” she said. “Help people like us who are busting our butts to get by. We don’t want a handout, but getting help is hard for us. I want them to stop pretending to be helping and do it.”
Election Day is tomorrow. Those who want to vote still have time to cast their ballots despite potential obstacles or disinterest. You can reference this guide to find out who will be on your ballot and information on each candidate.
