LGBTQ+ families are on the ballot this November. Here's how to protect them

On November 3, your family is on the ballot across America. You might think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not.Yes, this year’s election is a big one: There are 435 seats available in the House of Representatives, 35 U.S. Senate seats, and 36 state governorships up for grabs. No doubt, you’ve heard the media’s near endless coverage of these races, but there are much less flashy — though equally as, if not more, important — categories on the ballot that voters often skim past.The first category is ballot measures. According to the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, 145 certified measures are on the ballot for this November, and its research finds that voters unsure of a measure's intent are more likely to skip it or vote no. That is understandable! Ballot measures as written can be difficult to understand, and you might not be sure what the stakes are or what your vote will accomplish.Sometimes, this is intentional. In fact, earlier this year, a Missouri court had to rewrite the summary of Amendment 3 — a ballot measure that repeals a voter-approved reproductive rights amendment and pairs that repeal with a ban on gender transition care for minors — so voters accurately understood it.But just because ballot measures might be worded in a confusing way doesn’t mean they don’t matter or should be ignored. In case you still don’t believe me, look at Virginia. This November, voters will consider a ballot measure removing a dormant same-sex marriage ban from the state constitution.Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and Washington, school sports measures are on the ballot, with states aiming to write a definition of female into law — and Washington’s would establish this definition through physical exams and blood tests according to the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center. Measures in Colorado and Missouri would strip families and clinicians of the ability to decide whether transgender youth in their care can receive healthcare.Before you head to the po