The Future PAC Mobilizes Nationwide to Engage and Turn-out Black Vote in '06 Elections
Sep 19, 2006
Targets Largest Ethnic Voting Bloc, African American Women
Washington, DC -- With less than fifty days until the 2006 mid-term elections, Women Building for the Future (The Future PAC) launches an aggressive voter outreach program in six potential battleground states and twenty-five cities where African American voter turnout will determine the outcome in November. "The Future PAC's voter outreach plan is an important extension of its mission to increase the numbers of progressive African American women elected to office on the federal, state and local level," said Gwen Moore, Future PAC chairwoman and former Majority Whip for the California State Assembly.
According to Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Future PAC President and Political Economist, "Politics affects everything we do from the cradle to the grave, so it is crucial that we support progressive African American women candidates who will advocate for us. These women are talented and qualified but frequently face up hill battles against well financed male challengers. Our endorsements and contributions level the playing field and help them win elections." Recently, The Future PAC's support benefited Yvette Clarke, who won a tight primary race for New York's 13th Congressional District. Since it was founded in 2002, The Future PAC has endorsed 25 candidates. It is the premier non-partisan organization defining new levels of African American engagement in politics, identifying formidable talent within the black community and challenging the confines of black women's political activism.
The Future PAC is preparing to launch its new website www.thefuturepac.com, which supports African American women candidates and provides resources on public policy issues critical to the black community. This interactive and informative website positions The Future PAC at the vanguard of encouraging Black women to make campaign contributions a consistent part of their political activism. The new website will play a critical role in The Future PAC's plans to reach out to African American women across this nation in the weeks leading up to the November election, encouraging them to make their presence felt at the polls.
"There are 2.6 million African-American women drop-off voters who won't vote in November 2006 unless reached and motivated. We will do our part to get them to the polls which will send a clear message about the power of their vote leading up to the 2008 Presidential election," explained Future PAC board member and former Chief Operating Officer of the Democratic National Committee, Minyon Moore. African American women are statistically the largest ethnic voting bloc and the most consistent voters in American politics. In 2004, African American women represented 6% of the electorate, which translated to just under 7.5 million votes. Susan Taylor, Future PAC Vice Chair and Essence Magazine Editorial Director, added "African American women, although often taken for granted, have always been the backbone of Black political action and we will work to continue that tradition."
Political insiders have recognized The Future PAC as representative of a new generation of leadership among women and African Americans that is boldly changing the face of politics. Future PAC's dynamic board includes political strategist Donna Brazile, former Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor Lottie Shackelford, President of the California State Conference of the NAACP, Alice Huffman, Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson-Gates and Essence Magazine Editorial Director, Susan L. Taylor. Icons and longtime activists Cicely Tyson, Dr. Dorothy Irene Height and the Honorable Yvonne B. Burke are among the Future PAC's Legacy Circle Members.