Editor’s Note—

As we wait for all ballots to be counted, The 19th’s homepage, social media accounts and newsletters will continue to cover the election. If you’re tired, overwhelmed, excited or some mix of all three, know that we’re here to make things a little easier. Here’s what we can offer:

• You can follow the outcomes of the 19 key races and issues we’ve been watching here. 
• All our coverage from last night is here, including a story about Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County’s first female mayor and the historic New Mexico delegation heading to Congress.

There’s a lot going on, but we’re here to break it down and provide context. As always, if you have any questions, you can reply to this email. 

Drink some water!

Annelise McGough
Newsletter Editor

Election 2020—

Sarah McBride elected as first openly transgender state senator

• It was just three years ago that Danica Roem, now a delegate in the Virginia General Assembly, became the first openly trans candidate to both be elected and seated to a state legislature (she bested anti-trans incumbent Bob Marshall and won reelection in 2019 despite transphobic attacks). 
• Lisa Bunker and Gerri Cannon won seats in the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2018, and Brianna Titone won a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives the same year. Bunker, Cannon and Titone are all seeking reelection this year.

— A constitutional amendment on the ballot to raise Florida’s hourly minimum wage from $8.56 today to $15 in 2026 passed with 61 percent of the vote — the supermajority of more than 60 percent Amendment 2 needed to become law. 

— The passage of Amendment 2 was a referendum on the state of Florida’s low-wage workforce, much of it concentrated in the hospitality field that endured the greatest losses due to the spread of coronavirus.

— Amendment 2 reached the ballot through petition after more than 800,000 signatures put it there. 

— In Florida, 1.4 million women stand to get a pay increase, compared to 1.1 million men, according to an analysis by the Florida Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank.

Read the full story by Chabeli Carrazana here.

Election 2020—

Initiatives to restrict abortion access fail in Colorado, but pass in Louisiana
 

Abortion rights faced a mixed election night:

• Voters in Colorado rejected a state ballot initiative to ban the procedure after 22 weeks of pregnancy, according to Associated Press projections.
• But Louisiana voters approved a state constitutional amendment to specify that abortion is not a protected right, per both the AP and Decision Desk HQ.

In Colorado, about 59.3 percent of people voted against Proposition 115, with 82 percent of the vote counted. Louisiana voters passed Amendment 1 with about 64.6 percent of people voting in favor, with 92 percent of votes counted.

The divergent results foreshadow an emerging reality for abortion access.

• Following the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Supreme Court is expected to chip away at abortion access protections — Barrett has suggested Roe v. Wade, which enshrined the federal right to an abortion, was wrongly decided, likely cementing enough votes to reverse the landmark decision. 

Read the full story here.

What we’re reading—

Curated by Alexis Lanza. Have something you think we should recommend? Tell us or tweet at us using #19thShares.