Q Center

October 24, 2024

Queer People & Policy: the importance of voter registration

The 2024 Election is Coming Up – and queer voices are needed now more than ever

The queer community has the power to impact change when we come together in solidarity. In the last several years, queer bodies have been politicized on the local, state, and national stages. As a queer person, you might validly feel defeated in the face of the sensationalized anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and policies in unfriendly city, state, and national legislatures. But with the 2024 election coming up, we at the Q Center want to help you understand the policy landscape and encourage civic engagement, so that you can use your voice to make a difference in what matters to you! We are stronger together.

Electoral Wins – Victories for Queer People Possible through Electoralism

While the influx of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the news might be overwhelming, it’s important to reframe: with frightening transphobic legislation, we see an uprising of transgender advocates and allies fighting to protect queer and trans rights all over the nation.

Even in states with more hostile state legislatures, which control state-level policies, queer people have worked to advance queer liberation through policy mechanisms. For example, in Ohio, organizers protected bodily autonomy through a ballot initiative that enshrined the right to privacy in Ohio’s constitution – a key tenant in advancing protection of self and body for all people who need reproductive care. Wins like this build the foreground for affirmative policies that support our communities; working through the electoral system, queer people can help inform, create, and implement policies that support queer healthcare, access to equitable education, access to public space, and more. We see cross-national solidarity in how advocates in Washington State have tirelessly beat back queer and transphobic bills, and continue to advocate on behalf of queer people. It’s victories like these that it is important to pay attention to, as they tell us that despite the loud attempts of those who would attack queer rights, that the power of community can fend off harmful legislation.

By increasing queer political power, we can help create policies and systems that hold our community. It starts with a vote, but doesn’t end there.

Why Your Voice Matters

When you vote, you’re telling the system what matters to you as a constituent. It’s voters who are ultimately in charge of policy. And while voting is not the only way to be engaged – stay tuned for more from us on that – it is an important way to be engaged.

If enough queer people show up to vote, the issues that matter to us will be reflected in the decisions that policymakers take on our behalf. Make sure you’re registered to vote!

Register to Vote – Key Dates in WA

Here are some important dates for voter registration in Washington State to make sure your
voice is heard:

  • The voting period began: on October 18
  • Mail and online registration deadline: October 28
  • In-person registration deadline: November 5
  • Election day: November 5

Mark these dates and consider how your participation can influence the policies that matter to you!