The first trans voting centre in the US is set to open in Los Angeles

The first trans voting centre in the US is set to open this year in Los Angeles ahead of the 2024 presidential election. 

The facility will be held at The Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center on North Martel Street for the nominating contest in California on 5 March. The centre is open to all voters, but organisers have stressed that it especially serves as a safe and empowering place for trans, non-binary and the LGBTQ+ community to vote. 

The centre is open between 2-5 March and will also serve as a voting centre in the general election, which will take place on 5 November . 

Aside from opening to voters, the centre provides resources, training, support and access to medical services for trans people in the community.

Across the weekend of 24 February, 119 voting centres opened across Los Angeles to allow residents to cast their votes. On 2 March, 525 further centres in LA will open for people to have their say and cast their vote before election day. 

And it’s more important than ever for the LGBTQ+ community to have their say this year on the presidential vote. Whoopi Goldberg has expressed concerns about the potential of Donald Trump being elected for a second time. 

During 9 January’s episode of The View, some of Goldberg’s co-hosts commented that young voters might not vote for Biden – or possibly not vote at all – as an act of protest against America’s support of Israel in its ongoing conflict with Palestine.

The Ghost actress seized the opportunity to plead with viewers at home to get out and vote not matter what, in order to keep Donald Trump from being re-elected.

“I’m here to say, it is ours to lose. This is what it’s all about. Either you want it to work forward-thinking, you want everybody to have the ability to say how they feel, what they want, to move forward, or you don’t,” she warned.

“Or do you want somebody who says, ‘I’m going to be, on day one, I’m going to be a dictator’? Who says it to you, tells you, ‘I’m going to put you people away. I’m going to take all the journalists, I’m going to take all the gay folks, and I’ll move you all around and disappear you.’

“If that’s the country you want, you know who to vote for. If that’s not the country you want, you have to make a decision.”