A 2024 NCNW survey found that over 30% of Black women cited a lack of accurate information as a major barrier to voting, highlighting how targeted disinformation suppresses turnout. This is mirrored by Pew Research data showing that 17% of non-voters of color—a rate significantly higher than their white counterparts—stayed home due to a lack of information about candidates or the process. Ultimately, Pew’s post-election analysis suggests that shifts in the 2024 margins were driven less by voters changing parties and more by differential turnout, where logistical hurdles and information gaps caused many Black women to disengage.
Strategy Initiative
NCNW PowerUp is the NCNW national civic engagement strategy and an advocacy infrastructure housed within the organization’s advocacy and policy work. The initiative establishes a repeatable operating system that provides tools, timelines, protocols, and measurable accountability to support voter education, registration, and civic engagement across communities nationwide.
Six Core Pillars
The PowerUp strategy is anchored in six core pillars designed to support voters throughout the civic participation process:
- Pillar 1: Voter Education
- Pillar 2: Voter Registration
- Pillar 3: Voter Protection
- Pillar 4: Voter Mobility
- Pillar 5: Voter Support
- Pillar 6: Voter Communication
PowerUp focuses on increasing voter registrations and ensuring voters are fully prepared to participate in elections. This includes activities such as community voter education drives, voter status checks, and onboarding support for new voters to help them understand processes, requirements, and timelines.
Leveraging the NCNW nationwide network of close to 500 community and collegiate sections, PowerUp connects national leadership, state organizers, and local communities through clear systems for training, coordination, and accountability. The strategy includes a tiered implementation model designed to strengthen capacity at every level of the organization.
The initiative is designed to reduce real-world barriers that often limit civic participation, including access to reliable information, coordination challenges, and resource gaps. By strengthening infrastructure and alignment across communities, PowerUp transforms local civic activity into broader national influence and policy power.
For more information about PowerUp and how to get involved, contact policy@ncnw.org.
