Vote with Pride!
Pride Voter

Global Citizen

One in ten eligible voters – and one in four Gen Z voters – identify as LGBTQIA+. For some, there are barriers that make it harder to register to vote and cast their ballot. HeadCount is here to help you use your voice.

Pride Voter

Global Citizen

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Trans People Vote

Transgender and non-binary people face barriers accessing the ID they need to register and vote safely.

For transgender and non-binary people whose ID doesn’t match their name and gender, voter ID laws can make the experience of casting a ballot invalidating, intimidating, and unsafe. On top of this, restrictive identification requirements make updating legal name and gender marker on ID an unreasonably challenging process. These barriers impact transgender and non-binary voters’ participation in our democracy.

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24 STATES

have restrictive identification requirements impeding transgender and non-binary people from legally changing their name or updating the gender marker on their driver’s license or birth certificate

36 STATES

have voter ID laws. This means that voters must present acceptable ID to confirm their identity before they can cast their ballot

22 states

have both restrictive identification requirements and voter ID laws

30% of transgender people

report verbal harassment as a result of showing an ID with a name or gender that did not match their gender presentation

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Barriers for Trans & Non-binary Voters

Barriers for Trans & Non-binary Voters

Click on a state to learn more about its laws and how they may affect you.

Select a state to learn more about its voter laws and how they may affect you.

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Common barriers to identification changes for transgender and non-binary people

49 states & DC require your voter registration to match your legal name.
14 states require proof of gender affirmation surgery to update the gender marker on a birth certificate.
16 states have newspaper publication requirements for name changes.
In 25 states, people who have criminal records face significant restrictions on changing their name. Incarceration disproportionately impacts the transgender community. Nearly one in six transgender Americans have been to prison—and for Black transgender people, the number is roughly one in two.
60% of states do not have an "X" gender marker option on driver’s licenses, excluding non-binary people.

NEED HELP WITH YOUR ID?

HeadCount and VoteRiders are here to support you! Read our guide for trans and non-binary voters here. If you have questions or need free help getting ID to vote, call or text VoteRiders at 866-ID-2-VOTE.

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IF YOUR NAME DOESN’T MATCH YOUR ID

All 49 states and Washington, D.C. require your voter registration to match your legal name. VoteRiders can help you update your identification to match your identity.

IF YOU’RE NOT COMFORTABLE VOTING IN PERSON

If your ID doesn’t match your name and gender, you might not want to present your ID at the polls. Your state may allow you to vote by mail instead.

IF YOU’RE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

40% of youth experiencing homelessness are LGBTQIA+. We know it can be confusing to register and vote without a home address. If you are experiencing homelessness, you still have voting rights.

IF YOU’RE FORMERLY INCARCERATED

LGBTQIA+ people are three times as likely to be incarcerated as the general population. If you have been convicted of a felony, you may be able to vote—states have different rules about when you can re-register to vote. If you are currently incarcerated with a misdemeanor conviction or being detained, you still have voting rights.

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