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Transgender Candidates

 

 

In 2015, I conducted a project (coauthored with Andrew Reynolds) to examine the success rates of transgender and gender-diverse candidates for office around the world. We developed an original dataset of nearly 130 unique candidates (as of November 2015) over nearly 40 years representing at least 30 countries. I presented this research to the British Parliament, London School of Economics, and the 2015 International LGBT Leaders Conference.

 

I continue to track transgender candidates in the United States,

often with the help of people around the country who take the time to contact me. Thank you!

Danica Roem's victory
Screen Shot 2020-11-11 at 3.10.35 PM
Andrea Jenkins' victory
Esquire coverage
2015 Report cover
Vegas panel
Vegas_edited
Parliament panelists
Parliament 3
Notes for Journalists Covering Transgender Issues:
 
Please see the Trans Journalists Association's
style guide for covering transgender people and issues.
mo03_edited.png
List of Transgender Candidates in the U.S.
2024

2024 Candidacies: 23 and counting

2023: 22

2022: 51 | 2021: 24

2020: 50 | 2019: 23

2018: 54 | 2017: 25

2024 Victories: 2 and counting

2023: 12

2022: 20 | 2021: 12

2020: 16 | 2019: 15

2018: 10 | 2017: 10

Last updated Thursday, August 22, 2024

8:30 am Central

2024

NP=non-partisan

green = victory

*=won primary

U.S. House

 

State Senate

State House 

County Commission/Board

Mayor

City Council

School Board

Other Local Offices 

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2024 Notes

  • Shear Avory (D) announced in summer 2023 a run for New York State Assembly District 104 in 2024, but so far, no website or other information is yet available.

  • Émilia Decaudin (DS) announced in summer 2023 a run for New York State Assembly District 37 in 2024, but later withdrew from the race.

  • Justine Gonzalez announced in summer 2023 a run for California State Assembly District 52, but withdrew in Sept 2023.

  • Vanessa Joy (D) ran for Ohio State House District 50, but was disqualified from running due to not disclosing her previous name ("deadname") on her initial paperwork. See this coverage for more, including other candidates whose candidacies are being challenged under the same premise. Because she did not appear on the primary ballot, she is not included in the above count. 

  • Mia Mason (D) ran briefly for U.S. Congress in Maryland's District 6 in 2024, but withdrew prior to the May primary.

  • Jennifer Ney of Iowa said in summer 2023 that she would run for president in 2024, and she has registered as a candidate with the FEC, but so far, no website or other information is yet available. 

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Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2023.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2022.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2021.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2020.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2019.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2018.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2017.

This is the policy report format of this research project, published in October 2015 by the LGBTQ Representation and Rights Research Initiative. The data regarding candidates (at the time of publication) is included in the report's appendix. If you know of someone we missed, please email me!

Related Press Coverage

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

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