top of page

Transgender Candidates

 

 

In 2015, I conducted a project (coauthored with Andrew Reynolds) to examine the success rates of transgender and gender-diverse candidates for office around the world. We developed an original dataset of nearly 130 unique candidates (as of November 2015) over nearly 40 years representing at least 30 countries. I presented this research to the British Parliament, London School of Economics, and the 2015 International LGBT Leaders Conference.

 

I continue to track transgender candidates in the United States,

often with the help of people around the country who take the time to contact me. Thank you!

Danica Roem's victory
Screen Shot 2020-11-11 at 3.10.35 PM
Andrea Jenkins' victory
Esquire coverage
2015 Report cover
Vegas panel
Vegas_edited
Parliament panelists
Parliament 3
Notes for Journalists Covering Transgender Issues:
 
Please see the Trans Journalists Association's
style guide for covering transgender people and issues.
Andrea Jenkins.png
List of Transgender Candidates in the U.S.
2023

2023 Candidacies: 22

2022: 51 | 2021: 24

2020: 50 | 2019: 23

2018: 54 | 2017: 25

2023 Victories: 12

2022: 20 | 2021: 12

2020: 16 | 2019: 15

2018: 10 | 2017: 10

Last updated Tuesday, January 2, 2024

10:30 am Central

2023

NP=non-partisan

green = victory

*=won primary

State Senate (1)

  • Danica Roem (D) - Virginia 30 (primary canceled; won in Nov)

State House (2)

County Commission/Board (1)

  • Noah Page (D) - Henrico County, VA, Board of Supervisors (lost primary in June)

Mayor (1)

 

County Commission (1)

City Council (14)

School Board (1)

Other Local Offices (1)

---

2023 Notes

  • Seth Marnin was appointed, not elected, as a judge to the New York State Court of Claims. He is the first known openly transgender man to serve as a judge in the United States.

  • Jo Miller was appointed, not elected, to a vacated city council seat in New Jersey. 

2024 Notes

  • Shear Avory (D) announced she will run for New York State Assembly District 104 in 2024.

  • Émilia Decaudin (DS) announced she will run for New York State Assembly District 37 in 2024.

  • Justine Gonzalez (D) announced she will run for California State House District 52 in 2024.

  • Rosemary Ketchum, currently serving on City Council in Wheeling, WV, announced she will run for Mayor of Wheeling, WV, in 2024.

  • Mia Mason (D) announced she will run for U.S. Congress in Maryland's District 6 in 2024.

  • Sarah McBride (D), currently a State Senator in Delaware, announced she will run for U.S. Congress in Delaware in 2024.

  • Lisa Middleton (D), currently a city councilor in Palm Springs, CA, announced she will run for California State Senate District 19 in 2024.

  • Evan Minton (D) announced he will run for California State Assembly District 6 in 2024.

  • Jennifer Ney of Iowa says she will run for president in 2024. 

---

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2022.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2021.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2020.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2019.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2018.

Click here for a list of candidates who ran in 2017.

This is the policy report format of this research project, published in October 2015 by the LGBTQ Representation and Rights Research Initiative. The data regarding candidates (at the time of publication) is included in the report's appendix. If you know of someone we missed, please email me!

Related Press Coverage

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

bottom of page