Americans across the country made history at the ballot box yesterday, delivering a clear, resounding, and unified mandate for change. With historic victories for leaders that reflect the diversity of our communities and generational electoral shifts, the election results reflect an emphatic rejection of the Administration’s divisive agenda. From Texas to Alaska, Maine to Hawaiʻi, voters made clear their commitment to a multiracial democracy, their widespread disillusionment with the country’s current direction, their concerns about a growing affordability crisis, and their electoral power to demand a government that works for them.
Throughout the night, we witnessed wins for elected officials who spoke to the experiences, aspirations, and priorities of the people they represent, committed to realizing a more unified, equitable, and just future for this country. Michigan elected Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who will become the first Muslim American to serve in the U.S. Senate. Minnesota elected Peggy Flanagan, the first Native American woman elected to the Senate, while New Hampshire elected Chris Pappas, the first openly gay man elected to the chamber. In gubernatorial races, Georgia’s Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in the United States, while New Mexico elected Deb Haaland, the first Native American woman governor, and Gina Hinojosa became the first Latina elected governor of Texas.
These results demonstrated community power, supported by the unprecedented GOTV (get-out-the-vote) efforts of community-based organizations across the country, including many within National CAPACD’s coalition. They recognized the political urgency of making our communities’ voices heard through their vote, especially given what we have lost over the past two years and what is at stake ahead. We celebrate their tremendous leadership and tireless dedication to voter outreach, education, and mobilization.
Their efforts helped harness the power of young voters, women, and communities of color, as reflected in preliminary data on voting patterns. We also witnessed significant electoral shifts in states like Kansas, Iowa, South Carolina, and Mississippi that haven’t changed political course for centuries due to generations of voter suppression and disenfranchisement. A recent APIAVote and AAPI Data report underscores the economic concerns that motivated voters at the ballot. 90% of Asian Americans and 89% of Pacific Islanders said cost of living and inflation were very or extremely important in deciding how they vote. These concerns extend far beyond AA and PI communities. Faced with rising costs and growing economic uncertainty, Americans across generations, communities, and political affiliations went out to vote for themselves and their futures, raising urgent questions about whether current policies and decisions that shape and impact their lives are meeting their needs.
Nowhere is this urgency more evident than in the deepening housing affordability crisis facing communities across the country. Housing was a prominent campaign issue, and it appeared directly on state and local ballots as voters considered measures to expand affordable housing, strengthen renter protections, and address barriers to housing development. In California, voters approved Proposition 1, authorizing $11.25 billion in housing and veterans’ loan bonds, and Proposition 37, expanding homebuyer financing. In Hawaii, voters supported measures to expand housing development and strengthen public investment in affordable housing. In Washington, voters called for stronger renter protections and greater landlord accountability. In Massachusetts, votes on a ballot measure to ease zoning restrictions on smaller residential lots are still being counted. These housing ballot measures and their preliminary results demonstrate that housing is a top priority for voters and must remain central to the political agenda of the 120th Congress.
National CAPACD CEO Seema Agnani states, “Voters demonstrated yesterday that when we engage them, sustain relationships, and mobilize their power, even previously inconceivable change is possible. The work ahead is clear for us all: the election results provide a map that offers clarity in political direction and purpose – our leadership can no longer ignore the affordability crisis and must offer continued solutions for housing affordability and economic security. National CAPACD is committed to working in partnership with Congress on policies and investments that advance thriving futures for people in the places they call home.
Yesterday’s results also offer hope to our collective movement, reminding us that we must not, we cannot stop the work of engaging in our democracy. Some of these historic victories have been generations in the making, the result of countless people who came before us and never gave up in the face of tremendous challenge. In their honor and for those who follow us, we must keep exercising and protecting the power of the vote and remaining audacious through adversity in what we dream of, what we fight for, and what we work toward for our country, our communities, and our future.”