The November 6 election was an historic day for LGBT rights. In Maine, Maryland, and Washington voters approved marriage equality ballot initiatives, and an initiative to ban same-sex marriage was voted down in Minnesota. Wisconsin elected Tammy Baldwin, who will become the first openly LGBT member of the Senate. And California’s 41st District elected Mark Takano, who will be the first LGBT person of color in the House.
There were mixed results for immigrant rights at the ballot box. On the plus side, Maryland voters approved a ballot measure that re-affirmed the state legislature’s decision to provide in-state tuition rates for undocumented students. In Montana, however, voters handily supported a Tea Party legislator created ballot measure that denies state services to undocumented immigrants.
Results for reproductive rights were also mixed. Florida voters turned down a measure to prevent state funds from being used for abortions. But Montana passed a strict parental notification anti-abortion measure.
Other important civil rights issues were also on the ballot. In Minnesota, voters rejected a voter ID bill which would have required more identification requirements to vote. Oklahomans overwhelmingly voted to support a ban on Affirmative Action. An attempt to remove references to segregation in schools in the Alabama state constitution also went down to defeat, partially over concerns that the initiative may have removed the constitutional guarantee of public schooling in the state.
