Explore 24: LGBT Vote
A Community of Influence with Increasing Power
One voting block that has increased political power this century is the LGBTQ community. For years, the group has rallied to get their own elected to various local offices and even a couple of seats in a state legislature. However, in the last ten years, advocacy groups supporting candidates have seen an influx of funding, including at the national level, which has developed a sophisticated infrastructure and support network.
This has come from individuals who identify as LGBTQ and have become more prominent members of society, who have also given at least 2/3 of the vote to the Democratic Party. Many states are advancing an equal rights agenda. On the flip side, since the gay marriage issue has become more mainstream, the GOP vote has increased, and more gay Republicans are running for office and are being accepted by most wings of the party. The change is that the RNC platform is dropping traditional marriage from its platform, which could increase support.
Percentage of Total Voters Who Identify as LGBT
2004 4%
2008 4%
2012 5%
2016 5%
2020 7%
LGBT Vote
Non-LGBT Voting
Over the last four years, there has been a debate over the rights of transgender Americans and those who want to transition. Many GOP legislatures have passed restrictions on the age at which a person could get the surgery to transition, which has caused an uproar on both sides of the issue. Many liberal states have expanded the funding resources for transgender surgeries, which has made conservatives not thrilled.
Data Points Worth Watching
· What percentage of the LGBT vote does Donald Trump get?
· Can Kamala Harris win a majority of the non-LGBT vote?
· Where do LGBT issues rank in terms of the most important to voters?
· How many members of the LGBT community will get elected to offices at the local, state, and national levels in 2024?
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