Human Rights Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 3, 2020

Exit Poll: LGBTQ Voters Hit Historic High Turnout, Nearly Double Representation in Election Day Electorate

This Election Day, early exit polls show LGBTQ voters are fired up and turning out in record-high numbers. Over the last weeks, millions of LGBTQ people and Equality Voters in all 50 states and DC had the chance to cast their ballots. And LGBTQ people turned out in droves. LGBTQ voters turned out in numbers nearly double their proportion of the population. According to the National Election Pool exit poll by Edison Research, LGBTQ voters represented 7% of the 2020 electorate, while representing 4.5% of the adult population. LGBTQ voters represented 6% of the electorate in the 2018 midterm election and 5% in the 2016 presidential election. In response, Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David issued the following statement:
“Over the last three elections, the share of LGBTQ voters has continued to increase, solidifying our community as a key rising constituency that politicians must court. Our issues matter, our votes matter and politicians around the country have taken notice. But this development did not occur in a single cycle. Over the last two decades, and especially over the last four years, our community has organized to protect our rights -- rights that have been under attack and on the ballot.

“In the most consequential election of our lifetimes, LGBTQ people showed our strength.”
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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Human Rights Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 3, 2020
Viet Tran

Pro-Equality House Majority Secured

History-making Pro-Equality Majority of the House of Representatives Earns American’s Stamp of Approval

WASHINGTON — Tonight, pro-equality candidates for Congress won enough seats to ensure a pro-equality majority in the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In 2019, this majority made history by passing the Equality Act -- crucial federal legislation that would finally guarantee explicit protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people under our nation's existing civil rights laws -- for the first time. In response, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Alphonso David issued the following statement:

“At each and every moment when our community and our nation has needed national leadership, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the pro-equality House majority have stepped up. From making history by passing the Equality Act in 2019, to holding Trump accountable and fighting for an effective government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this majority has shown leadership.  And tonight, by electing so many pro-equality candidates, voters have proven that unity and equality win.

“Next year, this House majority will be a crucial component of our efforts to pass the Equality Act and ensure it becomes the law of the land.”

HRC staff on the ground recruited 5,800 individual volunteers who completed 28,500 hours of voter contact in more than 2,650 volunteer events. This election year, HRC engaged in robust digital and online GOTV efforts, including sending over 2.7 million person-to-person text messages, a massive increase from 2018 when approximately 500,000 texts were sent. HRC sent over 2.5 million mail pieces, had over 930,000 phone conversations with voters, and engaged more than 200,000 voters through  HRC’s voter dashboard at hrc.org/vote.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.


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Human Rights Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 04, 2020
Viet Tran

HISTORY: LGBTQ Caucus Swells to Nine Members, Increases Members of Color

Ritchie Torres, Mondaire Jones Win Elections, Growing LGBTQ Caucus to Historic Levels

WASHINGTON — Tonight, the House LGBTQ Caucus grew to its largest size in history with the victories of Human Rights Campaign (HRC)-endorsed candidates Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones. Crucially, the LGBTQ Caucus has grown to nine members, significantly increasing its representation of people of color, a key priority of HRC, by adding its first Black and Afro-Latino members. 

“For too long, particularly LGBTQ people of color have been pushed to the sidelines and stripped of our voice,” said Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President. “But today we reclaim our power and declare ourselves not only worthy but indeed required representatives in the halls of Congress. Today, LGBTQ youth across the country will see themselves reflected in a diverse array of new representatives and know that they can achieve anything.”

“The support of the Human Rights Campaign helped us elevate the message of what was at stake in the race: ensuring a homophobic, Trump-Republican who opposes equal rights for LGBTQ Americans did not win in the bluest district in the country,” said Congressman-elect Ritchie Torres after his primary win. “HRC’s mission to support candidates who will fight for federal non-discrimination protections and against the Trump agenda resonated with voters, and that support helped us defeat the politics of hate.”

“On the cusp of making history as the nation’s first openly gay, Black member of Congress, I couldn’t be more grateful to the Human Rights Campaign for supporting my campaign in the Democratic Primary,” said Congressman-elect Mondaire Jones after his primary win. “Growing up poor, black, and gay, I never imagined someone like me could run for Congress and win. With the help of HRC, I not only defied people’s expectations, but also inspired LGBTQ people of color to embrace who they are and — hopefully — join me in Congress one day.”

HRC evaluated the field early this cycle and determined there was a significant opportunity to increase representation of people of color in Congress through early targeted investments and endorsements. In New York, HRC Equality Votes PAC invested five figures in digital advertising to ensure openly LGBTQ candidates Mondaire Jones and Ritchie Torres won their primaries in heavily Democratic districts.

HRC staff on the ground recruited 5,800 individual volunteers who completed 28,500 hours of voter contact in more than 2,650 volunteer events. This election year, HRC engaged in robust digital and online GOTV efforts, including sending over 2.7 million person-to-person text messages, a massive increase from 2018 when approximately 500,000 texts were sent. HRC sent over 2.5 million mail pieces, had over 930,000 phone conversations with voters, and engaged more than 200,000 voters through  HRC’s voter dashboard at hrc.org/vote. 

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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Human Rights Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 06, 2020
Lucas Acosta

Equality Wins: Joe Biden Elected President 

Kamala Harris becomes first female, Black and AAPI Vice President-elect in history

WASHINGTON — Today, Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris were elected President-elect and Vice President-elect, winning more votes than any other presidential ticket in U.S. history. In response, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Alphonso David issued the following statement:
“The election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris proves once again that equality is a winning issue.

“The Biden/Harris ticket is the most pro-equality ticket in history. President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are not just willing to be our allies, but they are true advocates for equality. And they’ve done it for decades. From Biden’s work championing hate crimes protections in the 1980’s to Harris performing some of the first marriages for LGBTQ couples after Prop 8 was overturned, these leaders have a clear vision that centers unity over division. A vision where LGBTQ people are protected from discrimination and are afforded the freedoms and rights we should all have. A vision where transgender and gender non-conforming people don’t fear for their lives walking down the street. A vision where LGBTQ children are loved, embraced and protected from bullying.

“But hard work lies ahead. Trump, Pence and anti-equality forces left us with unlawful and regressive policies that have stripped away protections marginalized communities have had for years. In the coming days, the Human Rights Campaign will release our Blueprint for Positive Change, charting the path forward for equality under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The future of our democracy and the quest for equality is bright.”
HRC staff on the ground recruited 5,800 individual volunteers who completed 28,500 hours of voter contact in more than 2,650 volunteer events. This election year, HRC engaged in robust digital and online GOTV efforts, including sending over 2.7 million person-to-person text messages, a massive increase from 2018 when approximately 500,000 texts were sent. HRC sent over 2.5 million mail pieces, had over 930,000 phone conversations with voters, and engaged more than 200,000 voters through  HRC’s voter dashboard at hrc.org/vote.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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