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The US presidential election is on November 3, 2020 guys, which means it is barely five weeks away. 


Are you ready? Did you already register to vote? If you haven’t yet, you can do so at Vote.gov and read here for more information. You can also check your state’s election dates and voter registration deadlines through this link. 

According to National Center for Transgender Equality Action Fund (NCTE), there are three ways that we can vote: “by mail, by going to an early polling location, or going to a voting location on Election Day.”

Having said all that, we would like to highlight NCTE’s initiative called #VotingWhileTrans — TRANSform the Vote in today’s post. 

This is because transgender American voters are facing a huge risk of disenfranchisement due to a number of reasons namely “unreasonable voting requirements, intimidation, or outright discrimination,” says the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles. You can read more about this here.


Anyway, NCTE has a wealth of information for trans and nonbinary folks who want to make their voices count by voting. And, in the event that transgender American voters encounter discrimination at the polls as well as voter ID issues, GLAAD also wrote a related article titled A Few Helpful Guides for #VotingWhileTrans so they would have an idea on how to handle the situation. 


You can read the guide here on how to navigate such voting barriers or check the tips outlined below:

  • Check your registration status with Headcount or register here if you haven’t registered yet.
  • Does your state require an ID to vote and if so, which kind? Wherever you are in the US, you can check with Headcount as they have the information. 
  • Bring your ID if it’s a requirement but please make sure your name and address written in it are the same as the one reflected on your voter registration. In addition, please don’t forget to bring the following:
  • your voter registration card
  • a utility bill showing the address where you are registered
  • NCTE’s #VotingWhileTrans one-pager
  • In the event that poll workers question your identity or eligibility to vote, show them the utility bill and the “Information for Poll Workers and Election Officials” section of NCTE’s #VotingWhileTrans guide.
  • If they still don’t allow you to vote, ask for help from a volunteer attorney at the polling place.
  • If there are no volunteer attorneys at your polling place, you may call the National Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for assistance.
  • If all else fails and they still refuse to let you vote on a regular ballot, request for a provisional ballot instead. But you need to remember to ask for follow up instructions as, according to NCTE, “you generally must return to election officials within a few days to prove your identity in order for your ballot to be counted.”
  • You need to print, read, and bring NCTE’s #VotingWhileTrans Guide, download it here (for English) and here (for Spanish). 
  • Voting by mail is easier, safer, and it’s also the most convenient way to vote. You can sign up with Vote America if your state allows it.
  • Know your rights! Check your state’s voter ID laws through this page so you will know what to do in case your right to vote is challenged and you are turned away from the polls.
  • Did you change your name on your driver’s license plate or state ID since the last time you voted? You will need to to update your voter registration if so; and please don’t forget to check your registration status at Headcount.
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