574 openly LGBTQ candidates are on the ballot this year: report

At least 574 openly LGBTQ candidates are on general election ballots this year, according to a report from the LGBTQ Victory Fund, an organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office.

The “Out on the Trail” report, released on Thursday, found that more than 1,000 openly LGBTQ people ran or are running in the 2020 election, a 41 percent increase from the 2018 election.

The 574 openly LGBTQ candidates on the ballot on Election Day represent a 33 percent bump from 2018. The report included congressional candidates, state candidates and city and local candidates.

“A historic number of openly LGBTQ people are running for office this year and we have the opportunity to elect an unprecedented number on Election Day,” Annise Parker, CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, said in a statement. Parker is a former mayor of Houston.

The report found that Alabama is the only state where no known openly LGBTQ candidates ran in 2020. It named California, Texas and Florida as the states with the greatest number of LGBTQ people running for public office this year.

Over 30 percent of the LGBTQ candidates running in 2020 identify as people of color, the report found.

The number of transgender people running for office decreased between 2018 and 2020, from 48 to 34 candidates, but the number of genderqueer, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming candidates increased from six to 25 candidates in that time.

“While LGBTQ candidates are significantly more diverse than U.S. candidates overall, we must continue to break down the barriers LGBTQ people of color, women and trans people face when considering a run for office. Our government must reflect the diversity of America,” Parker said.