Recap: Election Day 2024 coverage of LGBTQ+ issues

Donald Trump elected president again, defeating Kamala Harris

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A disappointing night

A disappointing night washed over Harris supporters at Howard when at 12:42 a.m. Harris-Walz campaign Cochair Cedric Richmond came out to tell the crowd that the vice president wouldn't be speaking tonight. He thanked all of the attendees for coming out and said that she would speak to supporters on Wednesday. He said that the campaign is focused on ensuring that all votes have been counted.

Conflict of interests?

North Carolina overwhelmingly rejected Republican Mark Robinson, yet the state was just called for Donald Trump, who endorsed him. Even red states are poised to approve their abortion referendums, despite not backing Kamala Harris, who campaigned on abortion protections. What has made voters in these states vote against their own principals when Trump is involved? Is it ignorance, or indifference?

— Ryan Adamczeski

Missouri enshrines abortion protections

Missouri's constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights has passed. It is the first red state out of the 10 states with abortion referendums on the ballot today to approve one.

— Ryan Adamczeski

Julie Johnson just made history as the first LGBTQ+ person ever elected to Congress from the South

The mood is changing at the Harris-Walz Election Night watch party

There has been a bit of a vibe shift here at the Harris-Walz Election Night watch party at Howard University as the battleground state returns reflect a mixed bag for Harris, with Trump leading in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Whereas there was music and dancing earlier, now the crowd is listening to CNN, which is being shown on large monitors around The Yard. People are feverishly checking their phones to see if they can glean any details about the election. The thousands of people who gathered here earlier in the evening don’t appear to be interested in leaving anytime soon.

— Christopher Wiggins, reporting from Vice President Kamala Harris’s election night headquarters at Howard University in D.C.

Donald Trump’s criminal record slips through the cracks

LGBTQ+ voters in these 4 states could swing the 2024 presidential election

Did Liz Cheney hurt or help Harris?

There was a spark of hope that Kamala Harris might surprise and win Iowa, but that’s not going to be the case. The reason there was hope was because it was thought, after the latest poll that showed Harris ahead by three points, that moderates Republicans, and even some conservatives, would cross over to Harris.

That didn’t happen to affect the outcome, and it looks like it’s not happening in other parts of the country. Liz Cheney campaigned hard for Harris, and preached for Republicans to put country over party for just this election, so we could get back to normal.

It might be that rather than see the light that Cheney was trying to project, many Republicans may have dug their heels in instead. Nobody likes to be lectured to, and perhaps Cheney’s plea was seen more as scolding.

— John Casey

Colorado abortion referendum passes

Colorado's abortion referendum has passed, enshrining protections in the state constitution. Early voting tallies in Arizona, Missouri, and Nebraska also signal strong support for the states' measures so far.

— Ryan Adamczeski

Would things be the same at this point with Joe Biden?

The answer is: who knows? But there was a huge double standard while he was in the race. When Trump stumbles over words or loses his train of thought, it’s a weave. When Biden did, he was relegated to a nursing home. And that’s just one thing of dozens that Trump got the benefit of the doubt on, for lack of a better term.

Harris did jolt the party, and presumably more Democrats probably turned out to vote, but on the other hand, Trump seems to have a vice-like grip on the GOP, particularly on the working class, non-educated. Biden had a slight advantage there — one reason he won in 2020 — Joe from Scranton.

Tim Walz was a great pick to help make up for Harris’s lack of working class creds, but people don’t vote for the VP. JD Vance was the worst VP pick, arguably, in history, and Trump is still cruising along.

If Harris loses or squeaks by, the Democratic party needs to have a reckoning on how to get what were traditionally Democratic voters back in the fold. Something is seriously wrong if working class voters will vote for a crooked, lying billionaire over someone more competent.

— John Casey

No, voters didn't "reject" Florida's abortion referendum

Be very wary of outlets tonight framing the abortion referendum's failure in Florida as voters rejecting the measure — 57 percent of voters supported it, 43 percent opposed. The results barely fell short of the 60 percent supermajority required to pass, and Florida is the only state with such requirements. No abortion referendum has ever lost the simple majority in the U.S. Do not be fooled into thinking this is what the people want.

— Ryan Adamczeski

Battleground governors

If the race comes down to the battlegrounds, and Kamala Harris wins them — at the end of the day that’s all she has to do: win Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, she’s at the magic number 270.

There’s no doubt, and we all know this, that if this happens, Donald Trump will throw the proverbial feces on the wall with challenges, court cases, and charges of rigged, fixed, cheating, etc. The one thing Democrats having going for them is that all three states have Democratic governors, and that should alleviate and help prevent any hanky-panky Trump tries to initiate.

Having Tony Evers in Wisconsin, Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan, and Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania will help embolden Harris in those states if she wins them and wins the presidential election.

— John Casey

Sarah McBride reacts to becoming the first out trans member of Congress

Sarah McBride is ready to get to work — the soon-to-be first out trans member of Congress responded to the announcement of her victory by looking towards the future.

"Thank you, Delaware! Because of your votes and your values, I am proud to be your next member of Congress," McBride wrote. "Delaware has sent the message loud and clear that we must be a country that protects reproductive freedom, that guarantees paid leave and affordable child care for all our families, that ensures that housing and health care are available to everyone and that this is a democracy that is big enough for all of us."

— Ryan Adamczeski

New York passes abortion referendum, other states close behind

New York has overwhelmingly voted to enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution. Despite the disappointing results in Florida, other states with abortion referendums also seem poised to pass their measures as votes are counted.

New York has also passed the Equal Rights Amendment, adding ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes to anti-discrimination laws.

— Ryan Adamczeski

Governor-elect Josh Stein gives victory speech: "Competence over chaos"

Democratic governor-elect Josh Stein addressed his supporters with a moving speech in Raleigh celebrating his victory against Republican Mark Robinson.

"Tonight, the people of North Carolina resoundingly embraced a vision that's optimistic, forward-looking, and welcoming," Stein said in his victory speech. "A vision that's about creating opportunities for every North Carolinian. We chose hope over hate. Competence over chaos. Decency over division. That's who we are as North Carolinians, and I am so honored that you have elected me your next governor."

— Ryan Adamczeski

Read more:

Josh Stein beats 'Black Nazi' Mark Robinson for North Carolina governor

Sarah McBride wins Delaware House seat, becoming the first out trans member of Congress

Are you at a watch party? Send us your photos at news@advocate.com!

Keep Kamala and Carry-on-la in Michigan and elsewhere

Ok, not that it’s slightly past 9 p.m. ET, we’re in the thick of it, so states, numbers, candidates, “too early to call” “too close to call” are going to start morphing into each other.

Michigan is in laser focus now. Will Joe Biden walking the picket line with autoworkers last year still resonate - the UAW endorsed Harris. There’s also a large Muslim population outside of Detroit that has been vocal about Gaza, with backlash to Harris. University of Michigan and Michigan State University have reported long lines of students throughout the day. My source in Lansing said that he’d never seen so many of them waiting to vote.

The state has pockets of deep red, and for Harris to win the state she needs to run up numbers in places like Detroit, Ann Arbor and Lansing - just like GA, keep those red pockets at bay by piling up numbers in urban areas.

— John Casey

Florida's abortion protection amendment fails to pass

A constitutional amendment in Florida that would have protected abortion access failed to pass after receiving 57 percent of the vote. It needed a 60 percent supermajority to pass.

Nine other states have abortion referendums on the ballot today, all requiring a simple majorities to pass. All past abortion referendums presented to voters in the U.S. passed on supermajorities.

— Ryan Adamczeski

Related stories:

These 10 states are voting on abortion in November — is yours one?

Will Robinson drag Trump down in NC?

It looks like NC Republican Gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson is taking a pounding. The burning question has been how much would he drag down the GOP ticket in the state.

If you look up the definition of an atrocious candidate, you’ll find Robinson’s picture. Many in the GOP, not only in NC but nationally, wanted Robinson to withdraw from the race, fearing that, yes, down ballot candidates and Trump would be hurt by him leading the state ticket.

Trump’s numbers in NC fell in 2020 from his 2016 election, and the Harris campaign, with that in mind, and with Robinson making not-so-good headlines, put an emphasis on the state. Harris was there several times during the last couple of weeks.

All Robinson’s candidacy had to do was turn off a sliver of Republican voters for Harris to get some traction, so we shall see.

— John Casey

Don’t fret early numbers in GA

One of the worst things about election night is that you get a barrage of numbers coming at you from multiple states. It’s exhausting, frustrating and it’s fruitless to get all caught up, particularly since many come from red states.

For example, it looks like Harris is faltering in Georgia, as the early red counties, with small populations report in. Don’t forget that the large population areas, particularly around Atlanta, take longer to count, and those are Democratic strongholds. The Harris campaign made a huge push in that state.

Reports are that voting has been extended in some of these counties because the lines are so long - that’s a good sign, but there'll be many signs along the way. When you’re looking at the early reporting from GA counties, the populations are in the tens of thousands. When the bigger metropolitan areas report in, it will be hundreds of thousands.

It’s liable to be close, so hang in there, patience is a virtue.

— John Casey

Democrat Josh Stein beats 'Black Nazi' Republican Mark Robinson for N.C. governor

Democrat Josh Stein has been elected as the next governor of North Carolina, Fox News projected, defeating self-professed "Black Nazi" Republican Mark Robinson.

Stein, the current Attorney General of the state, will be the first Jewish governor of North Carolina.He beat Robinson, the currently lieutenant governor, who has repeatedly made headlines for his contentious remarks about the LGBTQ+ community, as well as anti-Semitic comments including Holocaust denial and promoting reading Adolf Hitler.

— Ryan Adamczeski

History made in Kentucky

Keturah Herron became the first out LGBTQ+ woman elected to State Senate.

Learn more about this historic moment:

Kentucky elects its first-ever LGBTQ+ woman state senator

On the ground at Howard

It’s a party atmosphere here at Howard, where a huge crowd is streaming in at The Yard, where a DJ has people on their feet dancing. The vibes are very positive here as polls across the country close. “Are you all ready to make Black history,” the DJ asked to raucous cheering.

— Christopher Wiggins, reporting from Vice President Kamala Harris’s election night headquarters at Howard University in D.C.

Younger women appear motivated

I was the first person to vote at my polling station this morning at 6 a.m. When I came out, there was a group of about a dozen young women entering the building together, a few wearing pink hats.

As I toggle back and forth between CNN and MSNBC, particularly shots outside ASU in Tempe, Ariz., it’s striking to see how many young women are waiting in line. I hope they have patience! If there is a demographic that is traditionally often overlooked, it would be young women, although the Harris campaign really stepped up trying to reach out to this demographic, with an emphasis on reproductive care. They also mobilized pop stars to speak out on Harris’s behalf, everyone from Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, and Lady Gaga, all of whom have millions of social media followers. And of course, Taylor Swift.

In most cases, endorsements don’t matter, but in this case, they’re making a difference.

— John Casey

The Trevor Project has seen a surge in crisis calls leading up to the election

The LGBTQ+ youth mental health support network is reporting an increase in election-related conversations and young people feeling anxiety, fear, and confusion about the outcome of the election.

Trump sees lines in Philly and screams CHEATING

All it took were the videos of the enormous lines snaking around Philadelphia to make Donald Trump scream in all caps that there was cheating going on. If you saw the Philly D.A. Larry Krasner’s press conference yesterday where he dared anyone to “F” around with the polling stations today, then you know he wasn’t going to take Trump’s cheating lie sitting down. Here’s what he posted about Trump on social media:

"The only talk about massive cheating has come from one of the candidates, Donald J. Trump. There is no factual basis whatsoever within law enforcement to support this wild allegation. We have invited complaints and allegations of improprieties all day. If Donald J. Trump has any facts to support his wild allegations, we want them now. Right now. We are not holding our breath."

— John Casey

Will North Carolina go blue?

As we approach polling stations' close times on the east coast, all eyes are going to be on North Carolina. Do not lose hope if Harris doesn't win the state -- she can still win the election without it. Because Trump won the state easily in 2016 and 2020, it is remarkable that we are discussing the idea of a blue North Carolina at all.

The exit polls are even more remarkable, as Reutersreports 73 percent of voters in North Carolina said they think democracy in the U.S. is threatened. That's not a concern most (or even many) Republican voters have. That trend could have implications across the country, including in other swing states.

— Ryan Adamczeski

Read more:

18 of the most batsh*t things N.C. Republican governor candidate Mark Robinson has said

Trump’s fizzling out as a metaphor

If you watched highlights of Trump campaigning yesterday — not for the faint of heart — at times it looked like the 78 year-old huckster was going to faint. He was losing his voice, energy, and ability to shuck. He was lackluster, taking deep gasps of breath as he walked, slurring his words when he talked. Forcing himself to go through the motions. He was out of gas, and it was painfully — rather — gleefully obvious.

And the crowds behind him and around him also seemed to fizzle out. You can tell a lot about a campaign during its last day, and Trump’s good-bye tour yesterday showed a man out of gas.

Trump said he won’t run again, and why would he? If he loses, it will be his fourth time in a row — he lost the popular vote in 2016, the midterms in 2018 and the election in 2020. He would be 82 in 2028, but if yesterday was a harbinger, Trump’s hit a wall that will finally knock him out.

— John Casey

General Kelly’s fascist label stuck

When I spoke to multiple Republicans over the last two months, I asked them each what might tip the scales for more Republicans to vote for Harris, and to a person they said, “If Generals came forward to denounce Trump.”

One did, and in a big way. No one was more familiar with how Donald Trump operated in the White House than his longest-serving chief of staff, General John Kelly. When he spoke to the New York Times it was the proverbial shot heard round the world. Kelly allowed his words to be recorded, so that there could be no accusations of “fake news.”

If you’ve been following the exit polls today, the number one issue on voters' minds is protecting our democracy, and when this election is over, and if Harris wins, Americans may want to thank General Kelly for his courage in coming forward, particularly when others stayed silent.

— John Casey

Massive turnout in Philadelphia

Reports are that people have been standing in line for hours to vote in and around Philadelphia, with lines stretching for blocks. A source tells me that record turnout is forecast, which should be great news for the Harris campaign.

Remember, the worry was that Trump might do well in Western PA — one of the reasons his campaign gave was the Elon Musk was handling the ground game. But reports I have from Western PA Democrats is that Trump canvassers never materialized.

If Harris runs up the score in Philadelphia, she won’t have to worry about the western part of the state, and if voters are turning out in record numbers in the city of brotherly love, she should win the state.

— John Casey

A Texas miracle?

Texas has one of the most draconian abortion laws in the country, and a state attorney general, Ken Paxton who wants to stick his nose in women’s medical histories to see if they’re breaking those medieval laws.

The Democrats poured millions into the state, and commercials featuring women — and their male partners — horror stories about how these laws almost killed them or made them infertile. I have a friend in Houston who said even her conservative female friends were furious about what they were seeing - the ads ran constantly.

Abortion laws on the ballot brought out women in droves in Ohio, and Missouri, for example who voted against the laws. If this happens in Texas, it might give Harris an outside shot, and more likely, might help Democrat Colin Allred finally dispose of the most hated man in Congress, Ted Cruz.

— John Casey

For more context:

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues second doctor over gender-affirming care

Ted Cruz uses unauthorized images of cisgender students in anti-transgender attack ads

Texas Dem Colin Allred uses anti-trans language to attack Ted Cruz: ‘Don’t want boys playing girls’ sports’

The Advocate spends election night at Harris-Walz campaign

Hello, Advocate readers! I hope you’ve had the chance to vote in this pivotal election. I’m reporting live from the Press Filing Center at Howard University, where hundreds of journalists are stationed to capture tonight’s historic outcome. The atmosphere here is electric as media teams worldwide pass through heightened security, preparing to bring you the latest updates.

Outside, on The Yard—Howard’s iconic quad—a step and dance crew is rehearsing on a stage set for tonight’s festivities. Soon, supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris will gather here, eagerly awaiting word on what could be a landmark moment: the announcement of Harris as the next president-elect. Stay tuned as we bring you live updates from an unforgettable Election Night.

— Christopher Wiggins, reporting from Vice President Kamala Harris’s election night headquarters at Howard University in D.C.

Related stories:

Why The Advocate endorses Kamala Harris for president

Kamala Harris's 'first priority' as president: To 'stop this pain' and 'injustice' from abortion bans

Exit polls and voters' top issues

As outlets release their exit polls of the most important issues to those who voted today, pay attention to how frequently transgender issues are mentioned. You'll note that they're practically nonexistent among voters. Republicans have sunk tens of millions into ad campaigns targeting trans people, and nothing has come of it.

— Ryan Adamczeski

Read more:

Voters actually hate ‘mean-spirited’ anti-transgender political ads like Trump’s: survey

Don Lemon comforts trans woman who's 'nervous and afraid' for the election

Anti-trans ads erode support for transgender people in America with no effect on presidential election: study

LGBTQ+ voters are all in for Democrats, while anti-transgender candidates are alienating everyone: GLAAD

Georgia and North Carolina as bellwether

These two states will report results early. If Harris wins both, it will be a bellwether that she’s in for a big night. If they split, then Michigan is likely the next crucial state to report results, and whoever wins there will likely be the win the race.

— John Casey

A look behind the numbers

The goal of groups like the Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump was to peel away, at minimum, 11% of GOP voters for Harris. In 2020, their goal was 4-7%, and they came in near 5%. They expect to meet or exceed their goal this year.

When you see numbers that show — just using an example — that 44% of early voters were Republicans, keep in mind that 11%, so you can peel away roughly 4% from that early vote number. Also, moderates and independent voters have been landing on Harris for the last week, so you can safely say a majority of those figures also go to Harris. We’ll stop there lest we get too far in the weeds.

— John Casey

What are the Election Day polling hours for each state?

Courtesy of @votesaveamerica via Instagram.

The “I VOTED” sticker

If you’ve glossed through your social feed, you’ve seen those sharing their vote by proudly displaying their “I Voted” sticker. It’s the familiar badge of honor on Election Day! But have you ever wondered where it originated?

The history is a little bit elusive.

In the 19th century, people drank and partied to celebrate Election Day (good times? Good times.) According to Made By Us, women were wearing early iterations of the sticker. In the fight for the right to vote at the turn of the 20th century, suffragettes displayed their advocacy proudly, from large signs to sartorial statements like sashes and buttons advocating for supporting women's suffrage. Inspired by the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement, Janet Boudreau created the iconic sticker with the U.S. flag in 1987, though shops offered similar stickers before Boudreau’s debut. Today, businesses have joined the festivities, offering discounted offers or gifts when showing their stickers post-voting.

Share your “I Voted” sticker with us by tagging @theadvocatemag on Instagram!

Why is Election Day today? 

By now, you’ve probably heard something MAJOR going on across the country today. If you’ve already voted or are planning to vote, have you ever wondered why Election Day takes place on a Tuesday in November? According to History.com, the custom of voting on this day goes back to the U.S. agrarian society of the 1800s. Unlike today, polling stations were far from your home—so far, many citizens had to travel at least a day to vote. As many citizens were farmers, weekends included Sunday church and market day on Wednesday. Thus, Tuesday became Election Day.

And why in November? Again, we have our rural roots to thank. With planting season in the Spring and early Summer and harvest through early Fall, November was a perfect opportunity.

While several states have made Election Day a state holiday, it is still not a federal holiday. Here’s to one day making that official!

From our partners at The 19th: What you need to know on Election Day — and what happens after

Here's some things you can do instead of doomscrolling until tonight.

The Advocate's staff writer Ryan Adamsceski suggests a few things you can do to keep you sane today. Check out her list.

Need a refresher about exactly why the Electoral College is so important? Well, here you go.

Marriage equality is on the ballot in 3 states

Marriage equality may be settled law, but some states still have discriminatory amendments in their constitutions. These three states are looking to strike anti-same-sex marriage language from them.

7 things to watch for in today's House and Senate races

Besides the presidency, control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate is up for grabs. Based on extensive conversations with elected officials, pollsters, strategists, and former Trump officials, here are some variables that might affect these down-ballot races.

Key LGBTQ+ races to watch on Election Day

There could be many firsts in this year's election. Here's a breakdown of some of the LGBTQ+ candidates who we're watching for.

🌈 Election Day is here 🇺🇸

Today is the day. After what seems like forever, it is November 5, 2024, and polls are just opening across the East Coast. Millions of people have already voted by mail or through early voting.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are up against the Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and Ohio U.S. Sen. JD Vance.

We will be with you throughout the day (and probably in the coming days), bringing you the latest election news affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Several editors and staff writers will be working on this liveblog, while our senior national reporter Christopher Wiggins will be on the ground tonight at Harris's Election Day headquarters in D.C.

Political experts believe today's race will be a tight one with the final winner being decided by who wins in seven swing states. Keep it here for the latest.

In the meantime, check out some of our latest coverage, including why we endorsed Harris:

- Why The Advocate endorses Kamala Harris for president
- How pro-LGBTQ+ is Kamala Harris?
- Our 2024 LGBTQ+ voter guide
- Kamala Harris's 'first priority' as president
- Where does Donald Trump stand on LGBTQ+ rights?
- Kamala Harris: Our One-on-One With the Vice President

- Alex Cooper, editor-in-chief, Advocate.com