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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Amirah Keaton, akeaton@fenton.com

By The Numbers Look: Color Of Change PAC Builds Black Voter Power in GA and South with Record Runoff Engagement

More than 2500 volunteers mobilized and 1.5 million direct voter contacts in key Senate runoff race, as part of one of the largest local mobilizations of independent Black voters and volunteers in Georgia.

WASHINGTON

As the nation nears the end of Georgia's Senate runoff election, Color Of Change PAC, one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing Black PACs, released campaign metrics from a months-long, multi-million dollar, Black joy focused GOTV effort in Georgia. After kicking off the campaign with the endorsements of Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock, Color Of Change PAC was able to successfully engage 1,513,978 direct voter contacts with Black voters in communities statewide. 2,685 Color Of Change PAC members and volunteers got involved in some capacity in this race, from first-time voters-turned-organizers, to poll workers, to canvassers, and much more. The PAC achieved peak mobilization via its Black Joy programming, which this year, included innovative activations like Black Joy Drive-in movie series and Black votercades and literature drops, PPE stations, and featured tried-and-true events like Black Joy brunch calls, "Sip and Send" and "Dine and Dial" virtual text-a-thons and phone banking.

As one of the largest Black PACs in the country, Color Of Change PAC's investment in Georgia provided crucial resources for the runoff election and compounded the PAC's efforts to build Black political power in Georgia and across the South. Long skilled in digital-first efforts, the PAC approached events with safety in mind due to COVID-19, refurbishing their organizing tactics to accommodate a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted Black and brown communities.

Here are a few of the key statistics about Color Of Change PAC's contributions to this Georgia Runoff election:

  • 2 candidates endorsed that placed comprehensive and progressive reform on the ballot and pledged for real lasting change for Black people
  • Over 2,600 volunteers mobilized
  • 1,513,978 voters contacted (numbers dialed, numbers texted), including:
  • 273,473 calls made to Black voters
  • 840,505 texts sent to Black voters
  • 400,000 direct mail pieces sent to Black voters and members
  • Over 7,117,421 digital ad impressions
  • 65 events held, with over 2,600 attendees
  • Black Joy Drive-In with over 500 attendees (Photos available)
  • Distributed over 40,000 PPE units
  • 2,968,930 emails sent regarding the Senate Race since November
  • 546,395 SMS broadcast texts launched

"Getting out the vote was of the utmost importance for Color Of Change PAC in this highly anticipated and high stakes election," said Arisha Hatch, Executive Director of Color Of Change PAC. "Through targeted voter contact, we were able to move voters to act using messages of Black Joy and celebration, relaying the intensity and impact that Black Georgians were capable of creating all the while easing the weight of the pandemic on our communities through PPE drops and Drive-In activations. The PAC and countless other organizations were able to push forward, despite the egregious efforts forged against us by the commander-in-chief and his allies. This was a true exercise in building Black political power, one that will certainly live beyond the moment we're in."

For years, Color Of Change PAC has worked in tandem with local grassroots groups and partner organizations like the Working Families Party, New Georgia Project, Black Voters Matter Fund, America Votes, and Sheriffs for Trusting Communities to engage and strengthen Black voter networks throughout local communities, in hopes of gaining leverage for Black communities through electoral victories in races like that of PAC-endorsed challengers Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Color Of Change PAC maintains its demands to state election officials to ensure that voters can cast a ballot in a safe environment free of arbitrary barriers and intimidation.

Color Of Change PAC is a Political Action Committee focused on building We're the political action committee focused on building Black political power, uplifting Black voices, and celebrating Black joy.