VoteRiders Celebrates Pride Month

VoteRiders is proud to celebrate the end of a phenomenal Pride Month dedicated to uplifting and empowering LGBTQ+ voters across the country. At VoteRiders, we recognize the unique barriers that trans and nonbinary folks face when it comes to voting, which is why we updated and expanded our  #TransPeopleVote resources for all 50 states (and DC!) ahead of re-launching them this June. As a complement to HeadCount’s ongoing Vote With Pride campaign, our #TransPeopleVote resources were initially created in 2021 to ensure that LGBTQ+ voters have everything they need to cast their ballots safely and confidently.

For many transgender and nonbinary citizens, getting the ID they need to register and vote is rarely a straightforward process. 30% of transgender voters report verbal harassment as a result of having an ID with a name or gender marker that didn’t match their gender presentation. Voters can now visit our updated #TransPeopleVote page to learn more about their state’s voter ID requirements and options for updating vital documents and state-issued IDs.

To reach audiences far and wide, VoteRiders teamed up with HeadCount to host a Pride-themed Ask Me Anything event on Reddit, which was viewed more than 19,000 times. Here we answered questions about voter registration, voter ID, and what LGBTQ+ voters need to know ahead of this year’s elections. To extend this important conversation even further, we joined HeadCount and Bridge Together live on Twitter Spaces to share how our organizations can be a resource for trans and nonbinary voters.

Our Pride celebrations did not end there! VoteRiders also organized three virtual letter-writing parties that drew hundreds of volunteers from across the country, complete with music and prizes. With help from our friends at HeadCount on June 16, friends from the Hamilton cast on June 23, and of course, the amazing volunteers who joined us, we exceeded our initial goal and wrote 11,000+ letters to voters in key states.

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VoteRiders team members on the ground also celebrated Pride by organizing workshops for LGBTQ+ organizational leaders, allies and community partners. Throughout these events, we demonstrated how our #TransPeopleVote resources can help prepare transgender and nonbinary voters for the upcoming elections, as well as shared other critical voter ID information. At “Vote Con Orgullo,” a Florida-based workshop hosted by All Voting is Local, VoteRiders provided 15 community organizers with voter ID cards and Florida voter ID guides, and participants beefed up their voter ID knowledge with a game of bingo.

We also partnered with the Gender Advancement Project, All Voting Is Local, Human Rights Campaign, and Hope Community Center to host #TransPeopleVote, an event in Florida focused on helping participants petition for legal name changes, order documents, and update their voter registration.

Even though Pride Month has ended, our commitment to Pride and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights is constant. No matter the time of year, VoteRiders is dedicated to raising awareness around the steep and unique challenges faced by LGBTQ＋voters, and we will continue working tirelessly to ensure that these communities have the power to make their voices heard. We are eternally grateful for our volunteers and partner organizations who helped make this Pride Month a tremendous success. We simply cannot do this work without you!