2019 Election Recap
By Tori DeGiosio, Digital Director, Let America Vote
Last night, Democrats had major victories in state and local races across the country. Here’s our recap:
Virginia
Virginia’s General Assembly flipped blue. And 19 (and counting) of our endorsed candidates won!
These races were particularly important to our team. Virginia is where Let America Vote got its start in 2017, and we have knocked on doors and supported voting rights champions in order to elect voting rights champions ever since.
When control of the House of Delegates was decided by a coin flip after the 2017 election, we knew we had to redouble our efforts this cycle. And it worked!
With control of the House of Delegates, Senate, and governorship, Virginia will now be able to implement measures to improve access to the ballot and promote free and fair elections. Virginians will also be protected from the GOP’s extreme partisan gerrymandering, meaning they will be able to vote under fair maps for the next decade.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire voters re-elected Mayor Joyce Craig — an incredible champion for voting rights, and Let America Vote board member!
New Hampshire Republicans, led by Gov. Chris Sununu, have repeatedly attacked the right to vote of Granite Staters. Mayor Joyce Craig has fought back to promote free, fair and accessible elections.
Mississippi
Rep. Jeramey Anderson, a Let America Vote board member, was re-elected to the Mississippi State House of Representatives!
While Mississippians still face Jim Crow-era voting laws and Republicans lawmakers who are trying to strip away the right to vote, Rep. Anderson has been a strong protector of the right to vote. We know Rep. Anderson will continue to fight back against voter suppression and fight for access to the ballot in Mississippi.
Kentucky
And finally,Democrat Andy Beshear will be Kentucky’s next governor.
I can’t overstate the importance of this win. It’s a major victory for voting rights and a rebuke to Gov. Matt Bevin’s voter suppression tactics. Kentucky voters have experienced some of the worst disenfranchisement in the country, but they have now elected a voting rights champion in Governor-elect Beshear. We were proud to support his campaign and we know he will fight for fair, free and accessible elections for everyone in the Bluegrass State.
On to 2020
Regardless of where you live, these victories are for all of us. Thank you to our team across the country who volunteered, and those who chipped in online, whether it was $1 or $100.
Our successes wouldn’t have been possible without your hard work and commitment to our country.
But our fight isn’t over. 2020 elections are right around the corner and we need to be ready to boost our efforts even more.
We’ll share more info soon about our next steps in the fight to win 2020. For now, thank you for all you’ve done as a part of our team.