Love Votes

There are only four days left until Election Day. There’s too much at stake for LGBTQ+ people to slow down now. Here are some ways you can help get out the vote now all the way to Election Day

Get out the vote (and take a selfie!): Did you know people are more likely to vote when they see their friends and family voting? Help make a difference by sharing your voting selfie! Post a picture wearing your “I Voted” sticker, tag @pflag, and use #LoveVotes. 

Share important election information: Check out our Love Votes social media toolkit for images you can share, including an Election Day reminder, information on what to do if you encounter problems at your polling place, and more!

Help your friends and family make their plan and help them stick to it: Use Rally to organize your friends, family, and anyone else in your network to get out and vote! Rally lets you canvass your contacts from your couch and have effective conversations to ensure everyone in your network has the resources they need to cast their ballot. Watch this training video and use Rally to get your friends, family, and others in your network to make a plan to vote and then remind them to cast their ballots! 

We are in the final stretch! Thank you for all you are doing to make a difference in your community and across the country.

An important read…

“Our reasons to vote in this election might be similar or not, but there is no doubt that for far too many of us, the results will affect someone we love, especially our LGBTQ+ loved ones.” Read this important opinion piece from new PFLAG National Board Chair Dr. Edith Guffey. 

…and an important listen

Check out this great bonus episode of Freedom Over Fascism, hosted by Dr. Stephanie Gerber Wilson. She talks all things election with PFLAG National’s VP, Advocacy, Katie Blair, who shares about the importance of voting with love, and having courageous conversations.

State Matters

Here is a sample of what’s going on around the country. Please be kind to yourself and use your discretion while reading this section. You can share news from your state with advocacy@pflag.org for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

Voter ID laws present barriers for trans and nonbinary voters. Twenty-seven states have strict identification rules that make it more difficult for trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people to change their legal name or update their gender marker on driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Thirty-five states require voters to present a form of ID at the polls; eighteen of those states have enacted stricter policies since 2020, making it even more difficult for some trans and nonbinary voters to cast a ballot. 

Minnesota - State is refuge for gender-affirming care. Providers in Minnesota are serving an influx of out-of-state patients, as many nearby states have banned gender-affirming care for trans and nonbinary youth. 

Oregon - School district demands that anti-trans ad be taken down. The Beaverton School District requested that Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) take down two anti-trans ads “from any and all distribution platforms,” as the ads featured a photo of two teenage girls who compete in track and field events in the district. The photo was used in the ads without the consent of the girls’ parents. 

Oregon and Washington - Ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington, set on fire. In the early morning hours of October 28th, law enforcement discovered ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, that had been set on fire. Potentially hundreds of ballots were destroyed. 

Oregon Voters:

If you dropped your ballot at the Multnomah County Board of Elections dropbox (1040 SE Morrison St.), you should request a new ballot IMMEDIATELY by contacting your county Board of Elections office. Multnomah County voters, dial 503-988-VOTE (8683) for assistance or visit MultnomahVotes.gov.

Washington Voters:

If you dropped your ballot at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, next to the Seatran transit building in Vancouver (3510 SE 164th Ave.) after 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26th, visit VoteWA.gov to request a replacement ballot. Clark County Voters can also dial 564-397-2345 for assistance. 

This election is too important — make sure your vote is being counted. Please follow the instructions above, and make sure your voice is heard.

Court Matters

Supreme Court allows Virginia Governor to purge 1,600 voters from the rolls. Out of an abundance of caution, PFLAG National recommends Virginia voters check their voter registration status immediately. Virginia voters have the right to register to vote same-day at their polling location—either during early voting (which lasts through Saturday, November 2nd), or on Election Day—and cast a provisional ballot.

Federal Matters

President Biden apologizes for 150-year-old Indian boarding school policy. During a visit to the Gila River Indian Community outside of Phoenix, President Biden formally apologized for the country’s role in the Indian boarding school system, which devastated the lives of generations of Indigenous children and their ancestors.

Global Matters

Japan - Tokyo High Court rules same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional. This is the second High Court ruling against the ban. Japan is the only G7 country to not legalize same-sex marriage. 

Taiwan - Taipei hosts Taiwan Pride. Thousands gathered in Taipei for one of the largest Pride celebrations in Asia.

Media Matters

Survey shows majority of voters think anti-trans political ads are “mean-spirited.” A poll from Data for Progress showed that 54% of likely voters thought that political ads targeting the trans community were “mean-spirited and out of hand.”  The poll also showed that 74% percent of voters believe trans people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and that 52% of respondents say they prefer candidates who support transgender rights. 

Gender Research Advisory Council & Education (GRACE) releases PSA combating anti-trans ads. The PSA features an army veteran whose trans son died shortly after gender-affirming care was banned in his home state of South Carolina. 

Sean Mendes addresses speculation about his sexuality during a concert in Denver. Mendes said that he is “figuring out” his sexuality and that speculation into his sexuality was “an intrusion on something very personal.”

PFLAG National
(202) 467-8180 | love@pflag.org

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