After a very, very, very long and arduous campaign season, today is election day all across America! If you haven’t taken advantage of early-voting, now is not only your last chance to vote, it is your civic and personal duty to yourself, to your friends and family, to your fellow citizens, and to the LGBT community.
We need your vote!
Trouble is, how do you know who to vote for, or to vote against?
Well, you can generally vote “straight” – a straight Democratic ticket, that is, but what if you want to vote for a third-party candidate? Or, possibly (heaven forbid!) a Republican?
Here to enlighten you and to help you navigate the morass of choosing which candidates to vote for are voters guides from several LGBT organizations. They’ll help you vote. Heaven help you if you don’t!
First up, the definitive voters’ guide: HRC’s Endorsements for 2010. All the names you need to know for all the governor’s races, U.S. Senate races, and U.S. House races. Print it out, or write ’em down, and bring it with you to your polling place!
There’s also the National Stonewall Democrats’ Elect Equality site, chock full of great equality-minded candidates!
Finally, nationally, there’s the Victory Fund’s 100+ LBGT candidates.
Don’t know where you’re supposed to vote? No problem! HRC has that covered for you too! Just visit HRC’s Coming Out For Equality site and type in your home address. If you know where you live, you know where to vote.
Are you at work but not out at work, or want to tell a coworker where to go vote and don’t know if they’re gay-friendly? Send them over to the League of Women Voters’ Vote 411 Polling Place Finder. Make sure you, and everyone in your family and all your coworkers know where to vote. Then make sure everyone does!
OK. Now you know who to vote for Governor, Senator, and Representative, what about your state and local races?
Well, here are some local voter guides from your local LGBT organizations.
California: Stonewall Democratic Club Endorsements and Equality California’s General Election Voter Guides, and the Los Angeles County Democratic Party’s endorsements, including statewide propositons, as well as the MadProfessah’s Endorsements. UPDATE: The GLBT Alliance of Santa Cruz County.
Colorado: One Colorado
Florida: Equality Florida’s 2010 Voter Election Guides
Georgia: Georgia Equality
Illinois: Equality Illinois and Out and About Illinois
Indiana: Indiana Equality
Maryland: Equality Maryland
Maine: Equality Maine
Minnesota: OutFront Minnesota Action 2010 Endorsements
Missouri: PROMO
Massachusetts: Check out the MassEquality Education Fund Voter’s Guide
Nevada: Stonewall Democrats of Southern Nevada’s list of endorsements
New Jersey: Check out the New Jersey Stonewall Democrat’s site
New York: Empire State Pride Agenda’s 2010 Election Center
North Carolina: Equality North Carolina’s 2010 General Election Endorsements
Ohio: Equality Ohio
Oregon: Basic Rights Oregon
South Dakota: Equality South Dakota
Tennessee: Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition
Texas: Texas Equity PAC (Equality Texas)
Utah: Equality Utah
Washington: Equal Rights Washington’s suggests the Progressive Voters Guide
Wisconsin: Fair Wisconsin
That’s all I have now, but I will do my best to get every state represented. If you know of an LGBT or equality voters’ guide not here. please, email me the link and I’ll get it here ASAP! Or, feel free to add it in the comments below!
The New Civil Rights Movement
<!–
google_ad_client = “pub-6759057198693805”;
/* 468×60, created 10/21/10 */
google_ad_slot = “8507588931”;
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//–>