HRC Blog

EQUALITY WINS: Gainesville, Florida voters SAID NO to Amendment 1 which would have eliminated protections against discrimination and made it legal to fire someone from their job or kick them out of their home because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Here are the final vote results:

Amendment 1    Total Number of Precincts  34  Precincts Reporting - 34 (100.0%) Times Counted -  20210/75219 (26.9%) Total Votes -  20092 

YES - 8375 (41.68%) NO - 11717 (58.32% ) Read our liveblog coverage of the day here. ********* *UPDATE - HRC's official statement is out: “This is an important victory for equality, for the proposition that people deserve to be judged based on their merits, and should not face discrimination simply because of who they are,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Gainesville voters saw past the deception and scare tactics used by proponents of Amendment 1 and made clear that Gainesville rejects discrimination against any of its residents, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.”   Solmonese continued: “Congratulations to Commissioner Craig Lowe, Equality is Gainesville’s Business, Equality Florida, the ACLU, as well as Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan, and the rest of the city commission, as well as and the many activists, including HRC members, who worked so hard to protect equality for everyone in Gainesville.” Gainesville Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan added: “As Mayor, I am extremely pleased that Gainesville voters chose to reaffirm that discrimination has no place in our city.  Many thanks to Equality is Gainesville’s Business and the hundreds of tireless volunteers who represented the true values of Gainesville. These volunteers demonstrated the diversity and expertise within our community, representing such groups as the NAACP of Alachua County, the Human Rights Campaign, the ACLU of Florida, the University of Florida Student Senate and others.”   The Human Rights Campaign provided nearly $30,000 in in-kind contributions to defeat Amendment 1 and has had a field director on the ground in Gainesville for more than a month working with Equality is Gainesville’s Business (a group formed to oppose Amendment 1), Equality Florida, HRC members and other activists to organize opposition to Amendment 1.   A field organizer was sent to Gainesville to assist for the past two weeks.  Their work included organizing door to door canvassing and phone banks to voters.   Gainesville ordinances have prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation since 1998.  Discrimination based on gender identity has been prohibited since January 2008.  A petition drive last year placed Amendment 1 on the ballot in today’s city election.  Previous posts on HRC in Gainesville, Florida:

• Election Day Liveblog: Voters head to the polls in Gainesville, Florida to vote on Amendment 1
• Final Call: Volunteers make calls to Gainesville voters to defeat Amendment 1
• Voters to decide on anti-discrimination law next week in Gainesville, Florida
• HRC volunteers work the phones ahead of March 24 vote on anti-gay amendment in Gainesville, FL
• Phone bank experience leads to new gay appreciation for connecting with voters on LGBT equality
• Gainesville, Florida group gearing up to fight anti-LGBT amendment
• Help Protect Equality in Gainesville, Florida!

Other HRC web info on Florida:

• Florida News:
• Young Voter Page

[Legal Disclaimer: Paid Political Advertisement sponsored and paid for in-kind by Human Rights Campaign, 1640 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036. Approved by Equality is Gainesville’s Business.]