Election Day a Win for Nontheists

Election Day wasn't without its share of disappointments but for the nontheistic community it was overwhelmingly a very good night!

The Good

- In Florida, Amendment 8, which would have allowed for taxpayer funding of religion was voted down.

- Voters in Washington state, Maryland and Maine approved same-sex marriage. "We've lost at the ballot box 32 times," Paul Guequierre of Human Rights Campaign told CNN. "History was made tonight."

- In Minnesota voters rejected a measure that would have banned same-sex marriage.

- President Barack Obama was reelected. Obama received a "C" grade on the Secular Coalition's Presidential Candidate Scorecard, coming in behind Libertarian Gary Johnson, who received a "B." However, of the two major party candidates, Obama came in well above his challenger, Republican, Mitt Romney, who received an "F" on the Scorecard.

- Missouri's U.S. Representative, Todd Akin, lost his seat. Akin, who sits on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, has repeatedly denied scientific evidence in many areas, including regarding climate change, and making explosive claims that the female reproductive system is able to block conception from an unwanted pregnancy. He also objected to removing "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.

- Krysten Sinema, won her Arizona Congressional race, she is the first bisexual member of Congress and now the only nontheist .

The Bad

- Sadly, longtime California U.S. Representative, Pete Stark, lost his reelection bid. Stark was the only open nontheist in Congress.

- Minnesota U.S. Rep, Michelle Bachman, who received an "F" in every category on the Secular Coalition's Presidential Primary Candidate Scorecard and an "F" on our Congressional Report Card, was reelected.

The Opportunity?

- Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin will be the first openly gay Senator. Baldwin lists no religion and could be a strong ally for the nontheistic community.

http://secular.org/blogs/lauren-youngblood/election-day-win-nontheists