Part 5: Politics & Political Opportunity

Racial bias in politics and political opportunities has existed since the first slaves were brought to this country in 1619. It continues to exist today, affecting how people of color engage with and participate in the political system.

Despite progress, systemic barriers, both explicit and implicit, continue to limit political representation, voter engagement, and leadership opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities. Below are key areas where racial bias and discrimination is prevalent in our political system:

Politics & Political Opportunity

1. Underrepresentation in Political Office

People of color remain underrepresented in political offices at the local, state, and federal levels, even in areas with substantial minority populations. White Americans are overrepresented in Congress, state legislatures, and other political offices relative to their share of the population.

As of 2023, despite making up about 13% of the U.S. population, African Americans held only 12% of the seats in the House of Representatives and just 3 out of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate. Latinos, who make up 19% of the population, are similarly underrepresented in Congress.

2. Gerrymandering and Voter Suppression

Racial gerrymandering involves drawing electoral district boundaries to dilute the voting power of minority communities. This can prevent communities of color from electing candidates who represent their interests, allowing the majority group to maintain political dominance.

To make matters worse, the Supreme Court recently gutted key provisions in the Voting Rights Act of 1965, starting with Shelby County v. Holder (2013),which has led to renewed gerrymandering efforts in many states, disproportionately affecting Black and Latino voters.

Prior to Shelby County, the Voting Rights Act required certain states with histories of racial discrimination to get federal approval before changing voting laws.

Furthermore, laws and policies have been enacted that disproportionately target minority voters. These include voter ID laws, restrictions on early voting, voter roll purges, and the closure of polling stations in minority neighborhoods. Voter suppression tactics make it more difficult for people of color to vote and have their voices heard.

For example, we all know about efforts to corrupt the vote in Georgia in 2020 when President Trump phoned the Georgia Secretary of State and asked him to “find” 11,900 votes. This week, Georgia election officials ruled that votes must be hand-counted. Well before this recent effort, thousands of voter registrations were placed on hold due to the state’s exact-match law, which disproportionately affected Black voters. Long lines and polling place closures also made it more difficult for minority voters to cast their ballots.

3. Discrimination in Campaign Finance

Minority candidates often face difficulties raising campaign funds compared to white candidates. This is partly due to the racial wealth gap and limited access to wealthy donor networks, which can make it harder for candidates of color to compete in elections.

Research shows that Black and Latino candidates are less likely to receive financial support from corporate donors, PACs, and high-net-worth individuals, who often dominate campaign finance. This leads to an uneven playing field, where minority candidates struggle to finance competitive campaigns.

4. Implicit Bias and Media Coverage

Candidates of color often face biased media coverage, where they are subjected to negative stereotypes or framed as unqualified compared to their white counterparts. This biased portrayal can influence public perception and voter confidence.

For instance, studies have shown that media outlets are more likely to question the "electability" of Black and Latino candidates, while giving white candidates the benefit of the doubt on their qualifications. Kamala Harris, during her 2020 vice-presidential run, faced such scrutiny around her background and identity in ways that white male candidates rarely experience. As a presidential candidate in 2024, she faces snide comments about her racial identity from her opponent and his cronies.

5. Lack of Political Resources in Minority Communities

Minority communities often lack the resources and infrastructure necessary to foster political engagement, such as voter education, outreach programs, and leadership development opportunities. This can limit the political mobilization of communities of color.

Minority-majority districts often have fewer polling places and voting machines per capita, leading to long wait times and reduced voter turnout. Additionally, voter education programs in minority communities are often underfunded, leaving residents unaware of changes in voting laws or their voting rights.

6. Discriminatory Electoral Laws

Many states have laws that disenfranchise individuals with felony convictions, and these laws disproportionately impact people of color due to racial disparities in the criminal justice system as discussed in Part 1 of this series. This bars millions of Black and Latino individuals from voting, even after they’ve served their sentences.

11 states lead the country in disfranchising ex-cons. Florida holds the top spot with the strictest felon disenfranchisement laws. As indicated in our previous analysis of the criminal justice system, Black Americans, disproportionately affected by mass incarceration, are routinely subject to disproportionate disenfranchisement.

7. Barriers to Leadership Roles in Political Parties

Political parties and organizations often fail to promote candidates of color into leadership positions or provide them with the same mentorship and networking opportunities as white candidates. This results in fewer candidates of color reaching high-profile offices.

Political party leadership positions, such as party chairs or heads of key committees, are overwhelmingly held by white men. This imbalance limits the ability of women and people of color to influence party platforms and electoral strategies. Hopefully, the election of Kamala Harris as president will begin an era of change.

8. Institutional Barriers in the Electoral College System

The U.S. political system, particularly the Electoral College and the Senate, disproportionately favors rural, less-diverse states over more urban, racially diverse areas. This system can dilute the political power of communities of color in national elections.

In presidential elections, states with smaller populations but higher proportions of white voters, like Wyoming or North Dakota, have a disproportionate influence compared to diverse, populous states like California or Texas. Similarly, the structure of the Senate (two senators for each state, regardless of population) gives rural states, which are often less diverse, equal representation to more diverse, urban states, leading to an overrepresentation of white voters.

9. Challenges in Running for Office

Minority candidates often face racist or xenophobic attacks during their campaigns. These tactics may include outright racial slurs, the questioning of their nationality or loyalty, or dog-whistle politics that aim to mobilize white voters based on fear of demographic change. We are seeing this in real time, with Vice President Harris checking three minority boxes—she’s female, Asian, and Black—subjecting her to a barrage of racial inuendo and slurs from MAGA Republicans.

Prior to Harris and Trump, the country experienced Barack Obama and Trump, where Trump led the so-called "birther" movement during Obama’s presidential campaign. falsely claiming that Obama was not born in the United States. These baseless claims were rooted in racial prejudice and aimed at delegitimizing Obama’s candidacy. Sadly, Trump has dusted off the same, tired playbook for the 2024 presidential campaign.

10. Voter Intimidation and Harassment

Voter intimidation, which can range from misinformation campaigns to threats of violence at polling places, disproportionately targets communities of color. This often discourages minority voters from participating in elections.

In 2020, armed militia groups intimidated voters at polling stations in minority-heavy districts in my home state of Michigan, and in Arizona, which contributed to a climate of fear and discouragement for Black and Latino voters. Instilling fear in voter’s mind is one reason we hear a major party candidate predict a “bloodbath” or cheer on an insurrection as Trump did in 2021 and is now repeating in 2024.

11. Additional Disadvantages for Minority Women

Women of color face both racial and gender discrimination when pursuing political office. They are often held to higher standards, receive less support from political institutions, and are subjected to harsher scrutiny compared to their white and male counterparts.

Women of color in politics, like Stacey Abrams and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have faced both racial and gender-based attacks, and are often criticized more harshly or subjected to demeaning comments about their appearance or background.

12. Bias Against Non-English Speakers

Voters who do not speak English fluently face challenges in accessing voting materials, registration forms, and instructions in their native language. In many areas, inadequate language assistance for Spanish, Chinese, or other non-English-speaking voters makes it difficult for minority populations to fully participate in the electoral process.

While the Voting Rights Act mandates language assistance in areas with large populations of non-English-speaking voters, compliance is often lacking, leaving many voters without the resources they need to cast informed ballots.

Racial discrimination in politics remains a significant issue that affects voter participation, representation, and leadership opportunities for people of color. From gerrymandering and voter suppression to the underrepresentation of minorities in elected offices and leadership roles, systemic barriers continue to limit the political influence of racial and ethnic minorities.

While progress has been made, recent Supreme Court decisions and Trump era political shenanigans have moved America backwards.  Addressing current barriers and challenges will require ongoing effort to ensure equal access to political opportunities and participation for all citizens.

America needs to move on from divisive political tactics and embrace a future where all voters have equal rights in and access to our political system.

Thank you! Your Comments are Encouraged

This concludes our five-part series on bias in America. While we’ve come a long way on race and discrimination, much more work is needed. We cannot truly be a colorblind society without addressing the divide between majority and minority citizens. Americans took a major step forward in 2008 when we elected our first Black president. Inexplicably, we followed Obama with the most divisive candidate in modern history.

Instead of building divisive walls, we can and should be a warmer and more welcoming society, building on the promise of an America where all men and women are truly created equal. We can choose a new path forward in the upcoming November election. And if we choose correctly, We the People can create a more perfect union, establish justice, secure the blessings of liberty, and inure the domestic tranquility promised by our Constitution.

 Mark M. Bello is an attorney and author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series and children’s social justice/safety picture books. He also hosts the popular bi-weekly podcast, Justice Counts (https://www.spreaker.com/show/justice-counts_1). Mark’s books may be found at all online booksellers and on his website, at https://www.markmbello.com.