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National Campaign to ‘Queer the Vote’ targets turnout

National Campaign to ‘Queer the Vote’ targets turnout

In a heated election season, organizations from around the country are honing in on swing states like Colorado in hopes of tipping the scales. But when it comes to LGBT issues, the key may be turnout as much as persuasion; the demographic with some of the highest rates of support for LGBT rights – young voters – is the age bracket that’s the least likely to show up on Election Day.

Turnout is a central mission of the National gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Queer The Vote campaign, which urges LGBT people and allies to register to vote and educate themselves and others on candidates and ballot initiatives that will appear in the November elections.

“Coloradans are experiencing a roller coaster this year in seeking relationship recognition through civil unions,” said Rea Carey, Executive Director of the NGLTF and a Colorado native.

The passage of civil unions next year may hinge on who is elected to control the Colorado House.

“We have candidates who are LGBT friendly and those who aren’t,” said Carey, adding that NGLTF is a non-partisan organization. “It matters very much who is elected to public office and whether or not they consider LGBT constituents on an equal playing field as the rest of their constituents.”

Founded in 1973, NGLTF has been working to establish social, racial and economic justice for the LGBT community and its allies. Queer the Vote is the latest extension of that mission, Carey said.

“Our purpose is to build the political power of the LGBT community from the ground up,” she said.

Carey outlined a number of ballot initiatives that have the potential to make 2012 a historical year for the LGBT community: Maine has an initiative that would allow same-sex couples to receive a marriage license — the only state in the country with such an initiative this year. A proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot in Minnesota would ban same-sex marriage, similar to Colorado’s Amendment 43 defining marriage between a man and a woman in 2006. Maryland and Washington have ballot measures that could affirm or overturn legislation enacted by state legislatures to grant same-sex marriage.

“The opposition does not respect our families,” said Carey. “Queer the Vote is really about asking LGBT people and our allies to stand up and let their voice be heard through their vote.”

Carey emphasized that Queer the Vote doesn’t limit efforts to state-level participation. For example, Colorado is already one of only 15 states that offers protection against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but nationwide protections are still lacking, Carey said.

“We do not have a federal law that protects people in employment,” said Carey, “which means there are hundreds of thousands of people going to work every day terrified that their boss is going to find out they’re gay.”

“If people have friends or family members in other states, I encourage them to reach out and say: We stand with you. Please vote on Election Day.”

According to the US Census Bureau, only 64 percent of national eligible voters went to the polls in 2008 and only 49 percent of eligible voters the ages of 18 and 24 turned out to vote that year.

Colorado’s voter turnout was higher than the national average, at 68 percent, but that means there were still approximately 560,000 registered voters in Colorado who remained inactive in the 2008 election.

In addition, of the 30 million eligible Americans who didn’t register, 48 percent of those stated they were not interested or don’t want to be involved with the election process.

Stacey Long, Director of Public Policy and Governmental Affairs for NGLTF, reacted to the ambivalence of some voters.

“If I sit this one out, who knows the consequences of not having my voice be heard,” Long said. “You have more influence when you’re at the table and when you exercise your right then when you don’t. We can’t operate in a vacuum. Our community has just as much at stake – your vote is powerful.”

Long encourages everyone to go to the NGLTF website and take the pledge to vote. The site offers links to register along with resources for individuals to educate themselves on candidates, ballot initiatives, and voter guidelines.

“We want to make sure people take the time to check and see what the guidelines are,” said Long, “so they know they’ve got proper ID, that it is current and not expired.”

Long put an emphasis on access to the polls, because of the 15 million Americans registered to vote in 2008 who did not go to the polls, 11 percent stated they didn’t vote because of registration problems, the polls being too far away, or transportation problems.

“There are a lot of efforts, at the state level mainly, to put barriers up so people have even a tougher time getting to the polls,” said Long. “Some of the things that really benefited certain vulnerable communities are actually being rolled back.”

Carey commented on the lawmakers who implement policies which make it more difficult for citizens to vote. “The very core issue for our community is one of voice and visibility,” said Carey. “We have to stand up and meet that challenge and show them they’re wrong. Our lives do count, and our voice counts.”

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