2024 Election
Report Finds: Community Centers Are Essential for LGBTQ Civic Engagement
In just a few days, millions of Americans will be participating in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. And with 7.6% of the nation’s population identifying as LGBTQ, this segment of the electorate will likely have a noticeable impact on the presidential race — if they are afforded access to the ballot box.
Since 2020, strict anti-voter policies have disproportionately impacted various marginalized communities, particularly transgender people of color. However, LGBTQ community centers continue to play a crucial role in increasing access to the polls, educating voters, and advocating for policies that improve the lives of those they serve and their broader community.
According to the 2024 LGBTQ Community Center Survey report, almost all (92%) of the 199 participating LGBTQ community centers engage in advocacy, public policy, or civic engagement activities.
The biennial report, conducted by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) and Centerlink, also found that more than half (53%) of these centers engage in voter registration efforts, and 42% participate in get-out-the-vote drives. Five percent (5%) of centers even serve as a polling location for elections.
“These community centers are imperative to increasing voter engagement among LGBTQ citizens, particularly amid growing restrictions targeting voter registration efforts,” said Tessa Juste, LGBTQ Movement Building and Policy Researcher at the Movement Advancement Project.
Recent reporting from USA Today suggests that Republican lawmakers are seeking to ban non-partisan charities from conducting voter registration pushes, a shift that would weaken access to the ballot for a host of eligible unregistered voters. These attempts not only highlight the critical role LGBTQ community centers play in the upcoming presidential race, which is projected to be decided by a small number of votes, but more importantly their direct impact on local off-year elections.
With the majority of participating centers citing lack of staff or staff capacity and lack of funding as the top barriers to engaging in advocacy and civic engagement, the urgent need for financial support of these community staples is evident.
Additional findings in the report outline program priorities, constituencies and services, infrastructure, fundraising, and staff, board, and volunteer capacity, in addition to the rising threats to safety and security experienced by centers.
Keep reading about LGBTQ community centers, the programs they offer, and the challenges they face by visiting MAP’s site below.
