Despite chaos, some cause for celebration
12 wins for marginalized, underrepresented Americans in elections
As we enter Day 3 awaiting the results from the U.S. presidential election, here are some decisive results that turned out to be wins for under-represented and marginalized Americans.
Nebraska and Utah voters remove from constitution slavery as punishment for a crime
In Nebraska, 68 per cent of voters approved the amendment and in Utah the removal had 80 per cent support. The language prior had outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude except as a punishment for crime.
Voting rights return for formerly incarcerated citizens in California
Proposition 17 passed with 59 per cent of the vote and will return voting rights to felons on parole, re-enfranchising about 50,000 people, according to the Los Angeles Times.
First transgender state senator elected
In Delaware, Sarah McBride will be the first transgender state senator in U.S. history, and the highest-ranking transgender official in the country.
First trans woman of colour elected to state legislature
Kansas’s Stephanie Byers, a member of Chickasaw Nation, became the first Indigenous trans person elected to a state legislature.
Mississippi retires state flag with Confederate emblem
The state’s official flag currently features a Confederate battle cross, and it will now be redesigned to feature a magnolia and it will read “In God we trust.”
Stephanie Byers became the first Indigenous trans person elected to a state legislature.
Alabama to remove all racist language from constitution
Amendment 4, introduced by Democratic representative Merika Coleman in 2019, passed with 66.7 per cent of the vote in Alabama. This will remove language that bans interracial marriage, mandates racially segregated schools and allows poll taxes.
The Squad holds steady
The four progressive congresswomen dubbed the Squad — Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts — all held on to their seats with landslide victories over Republicans.
Sarah McBride is the first trans state senator in the United States.
Muslim politicians make history in five states
Oklahoma, Delaware, Colorado, Wisconsin and Florida elected their state’s first Muslim representatives: Mauree Turner (Oklahoma), who is also openly queer, Madinah WilsonAnton (Delaware), Iman Jodeh (Colorado), Samba Baldeh (Wisconsin) and Christopher Benjamin (Florida).
$15 minimum wage increase coming in Florida
Voters in Florida have approved minimum wage rise to $15 per hour, up from the current $8.56, by 2026. Florida will be the eighth state to implement a $15 wage. Federally, the minimum wage sits at $7.25.
Drugs on the ballot
In Oregon, voters opted to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of street drugs, such as cocaine.
Rather than facing a trial and possible jail time, those arrested with small amounts of hard drugs would see a $100 fine and attend an addiction recovery program.
Voters in Oregon also legalized the therapeutic use of Psilocybin mushrooms, which have a hallucinogenic effect, while D.C. voted to have activity with the mushrooms become “among the lowest law enforcement priorities,” according to Ballotpedia.
Meanwhile, voters in New Jersey, Montana and Arizona have legalized cannabis use for those over the age of 21.
Colorado voters protect abortion rights
Colorado’s Proposition 115, which sought to ban abortions after 22 weeks gestation for any reason except immediate risk of death to a pregnant mother, was rejected by 59.1 per cent of voters.
Meanwhile, 62 per cent of Louisiana residents voted to add language to its constitution stating that abortion is not protected as a right, and that the state is not required to fund it.
Colorado’s first openly bisexual state legislator elected
David Ortiz will be the state’s first openly bisexual state legislator.
Currently, bisexual people are under-represented in politics with only 14 openly bisexual state legislators out of nearly 150 LGBTQ, them.us reports. With files from Jenna Moon Angelyn Francis is a Toronto-based reporter for the Star covering inequity and inequality. Her reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Reach her via email: afrancis@thestar.ca