Transgender Candidates in the U.S.

Transgender Candidates

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

for political office in the U.S. in 2021. Click here for the current list.***

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!

Notes for Journalists Covering Transgender Issues:

Please see the Trans Journalists Association's

style guide for covering transgender people and issues.

List of Transgender Candidates in the U.S.
2021

2021 Candidacies: 24

2020: 50 | 2019: 23 | 2018: 54 | 2017: 25

2021 Victories: 12

2020: 16| 2019: 15 | 2018: 10 | 2017: 10

Last updated Thursday, Nov 8, 2023

8:45 am Central

(1/4/22 - adding Daniella Mendez)

(8/25/22 - adding Gerri Cannon)

(11/8/23 - adding Holly Ryan, Ashley Shade)

2021

NP=non-partisan

green = victory

*=won primary

Governor

Caitlyn Jenner (R) - California (lost in Sept recall)

State House

Danica Roem (D) [Incumbent] - Virginia 13 (won in Nov)

County Commission/Executive

*Carolyn Hoffman (D) - District 25, Monroe County, NY (won in Nov)
*Tyler Titus, also identifies as nonbinary (D) - Erie County, PA (lost in Nov)

Mayor

Palana Hunt-Hawkins - Rochester, NH (lost in Nov)

City Council

Tex Copeland, also identifies as nonbinary - District 5, Mobile, AL (lost in Aug)
Elisa Crespo (D) - Bronx, New York City, NY (pictured above) (lost in special election in March, see note below)
Phillipe Cunningham (DFL) [Incumbent] - Ward 4, Minneapolis, MN (lost in Nov)
Alexandra Dermody (D) - Ward 7, Davenport, IA (lost in Nov)
Andrea Jenkins (DFL) [Incumbent] - Ward 8, Minneapolis, MN (won in Nov)
Stephe Koontz (D) [Incumbent] - District 3, Doraville, GA (won in Nov)
Mariah Moore (D) - District D, New Orleans, LA (lost primary in Nov)
Alex Myers (D) - Hatboro, PA (lost in Nov)
Holly Ryan (D) [Incumbent] - Newton, MA (won in Nov; ran unopposed)
Eve Seitchik, also identifies as nonbinary (I) - At-Large, Somerville, MA (lost in Nov)
Ashley Shade - North Adams, MA (won in Nov)

Judge

Rachel Maes - Circuit Court, Brown County, WI (lost in April)

School Board

Alana Banks - Decatur, IL (won in April; 1 of 4 winners)
Gerri Cannon [Incumbent] - Somersworth, NH (won in Nov)
Shannon Cuttle, also identifies as nonbinary [Incumbent] - South Orange-Maplewood, NJ (lost in Nov)
Dion Manley (D) - Gahanna, OH (won in Nov)
Daniella Mendez (NP) - Dover, NJ (won in Nov; ran unopposed)

Other Local Offices

Kristal Larson - Clerk, Avon Township IL (won in April)
Ronnie Manzone - Housing Authority, Fairhaven MA (won in April; ran unopposed)

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2021 Notes

Alejandra Caraballo ran for New York City Council (District 35, Brooklyn) but withdrew prior to the primary.
Elisa Crespo (D) ran for New York City Council (District 15, Bronx) in a special election on March 23. She came in fourth, though no candidate won a majority of votes. According to local reporting, the winner will be required to run for re-election in the June primary and then again in the general election in November. In April, Crespo announced she would not continue her candidacy in the June primary.
Bunnie Benton Cruse (D) is seeking an appointed (not elected) position to the New Mexico State House (District 28) following a legislator's departure to seek a vacant Congressional position.
Lillian Guetter is seeking an appointed (not elected) position to City Council in Moorhead, MN.
Honey Mahogany (D) was elected to the Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party. This is an internal party office, not a public office.

2022 Candidacies Already Announced

Deja Alvarez (D) announced she will run for the Pennsylvania House (District 182) in 2022.
Billie Cooper announced she will run for City Supervisor (District 6) in San Francisco, CA, in 2022.
Kimi Cole (D) announced she will run for Nevada Lieutenant Governor in 2022.
Janelle Crossley (D) announced she will run for the Pennsylvania House (District 199) in 2022.
Rachael Rose Luckey announced she will run for City Council (District 13) in Los Angeles, CA, in 2022.
Kendall Martinez-Wright announced she would run for the Missouri House (District 5) in 2022, but in Sept 2021 withdrew.
Lisa Middleton (D) announced she will run for the California Senate (District 28) in 2022.
Brooklyn Owen (unaffiliated) announced she will run for the Florida Senate (District 6) in 2022.
Melissa Sue Robinson (D) announced she will run for Governor of Idaho in 2022.

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.

Original

Policy Report

2015

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!