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Transgender Candidates

 

 

***This page contains data regarding transgender and nonbinary candidates

for political office in the U.S. in 2019. Click here for the current list.***

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

 

I continue to catalogue transgender candidates in the United States,

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

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This project has received press coverage, catalogued below.

Notes for Journalists Covering Transgender Issues:
Please see GLAAD's Media Reference Guides on
transgender terminology and best practices for reporting.
Deja-873x1024.jpg
List of Transgender &
Nonbinary U.S. Candidates
2019

Candidacies - 2019: 23 | 2018: 54 | 2017: 25

Victories - 2019: 15 | 2018: 10 | 2017: 10

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Last updated Tuesday, January 2, 2024

8:30 am Central

(1/2/24 - adding Justine Gonzalez)

(1/4/21 - adding Maebe A. Girl)

(12/10/20 - adding Stacie-Marie Laughton)

(7/18/20 - adding Cassandra Martineau)

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2019

green text=won election!

NP=non-partisan race

 

State House

Danica Roem (D) - Virginia 13 (won reelection in Nov)

Jennifer Williams (R) - New Jersey 15 (lost in Nov)

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City Council

Deja Lynn Alvarez (D) - Philadelphia PA (lost primary in May)

Palana Belken - Rochester NH (won in Nov)

Laura Benjamin (NP) - Eau Claire WI (won in April)

Maebe A. Girl, identifies as non-binary - Silver Lake CA (won in April) 

Frankie Gonzales-Wolfe (NP) - San Antonio TX (lost in May)

Sophia Hawes-Tingey - Midvale UT (lost in Nov)

Austin Morreale - Highland Park NJ (lost primary in June)

Veronica Pejril (D) - Greencastle IN (won in Nov)

Air Rhodes (D), identifies as non-binary - Beacon NY (won in Nov)

Tarrence Robertson-Bayless - St. Paul MN (lost in Nov)

Holly Ryan (D) - Newton MA (won in Nov)

Aime Wichtendahl (D) - Hiawatha IA (won reelection in Nov)

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Judge

Henry Sias - Philadelphia PA (lost primary in May)

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Other Local Offices

Gerri Cannon (D) - School Board, Somersworth NH (won reelection in Nov)

Lizbeth DeSelm (D) - School Board, Melrose MA (won reelection in Nov)

Jordan Evans (R) - Library Board of Trustees, Charlton MA (won reelection in May)

Jordan Evans (R) - Town Constable, Charlton MA (won reelection in May)

Brandy Fortson, identifies as non-binary - School Board, Corvallis OR (won in May)

Cassandra Martineau (Green) - Board of Education, Windham CT (lost in Nov)

Stacie-Marie Laughton (D) - Selectman, Nashua NH (won in Nov, as write-in candidate)

Donna Price (D) - County Board of Supervisors, Albemarle County VA (won in Nov)

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2019 Notes

  • Justine Gonzalez ran for Los Angeles CA Unified School Board but did not appear on the special general election ballot.

  • Urn Pendragon ran for mayor of New Haven CT but withdrew from the race prior to the Nov election.

  • Sebastian Rey ran for city council in Jefferson Parish LA but withdrew from the race prior to the primary.

  • Zoe Roberts was appointed (not elected) to the County Board in Eau Claire, WI, in October 2019.

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2020 Notes

  • Melina Barratt announced she will run for State Senate in Florida in 2020.

  • Bre Kidman (D), who identifies as nonbinary, announced they would run for U.S. Senate in Maine in 2020.

  • Sarah McBride (D) announced she will run for Delaware State Senate in 2020. 

  • Jill Rose Quinn (D) announced she will run for Cook County Circuit Court in 2020.  

  • Pam Rocker (D) announced she will run for President in 2020.

  • Davin Sokup (D) announced he will run for State Senate in Minnesota (20) in 2020.

  • Danielle VanHelsing (I) announced she will run for U.S. Senate in Maine in 2020.

  • Monique Worthy (R) announced she will run for U.S. House in Texas (13) in 2020.

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

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

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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!

Presentations & Press Coverage

2018

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2017

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2016

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2015

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