#Good news you might have missed from Election Day 2020

But while you await the fate of the republic, here’s some good, more local news to soak in from across the U.S. on Election Day.

Huge firsts for LGBTQ candidates

The Rainbow Wave is real. A record number of LGBTQ candidates were running for office at the local, state, and federal levels this year, with political action committee Victory Fund recording a, well, record-breaking 1000-plus candidates from the community. And at least seven states have significant firsts thanks to wins by LGBTQ candidates:

• Sarah McBride from Delaware was elected to be the first openly transgender state senator in the country.

• Mauree Turner is one of the first out non-binary state lawmakers in the U.S., after winning a seat in the Oklahoma state legislature (and will also be the first Muslim in the OK state House).

• New Yorkers Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones both won their federal congressional races, and thus will be the first Black gay men in the House.

• Taylor Small won a seat in the Vermont state legislature, making her the first out trans lawmaker in the state and the fifth nationwide.

• Florida elected Michele Rayner as its first Black queer woman to serve in the Florida state House, and its first out LGBTQ state senator in Shevrin Jones.

• Georgia hit the same milestone, electing its first out LGBTQ state senator, Episcopal priest Kim Jackson, and state representative, Torrey Harris.

• Jabari Brisport won his race and will be New York’s first LGBTQ state senator of color.

Drugs for some! Medicinal drugs for others!

You can read more about drug-related votes around the country in our comprehensive roundup, but here are the basics:

Oregon voted yes on Measure 110, which proposed to decriminalize possession of all drugs, shifting drug use from a legal to a public health issue in the state. Oregon also voted to legalize medicinal psilocybin.

Arizona voted to legalize possession of up to an ounce of recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over, with tax revenue going to community colleges and “public safety.”

Montana, South Dakota, and New Jersey also voted to legalize weed for people 21 and over. South Dakota also voted to legalize medical marijuana — the first state to legalize both in the same election.

Mississippi voted to legalize medical marijuana, with voters opting for broader medical legalization over a confusing, more restrictive option.

D.C. voted to decriminalize plant psychedelics, including psilocybin and ayahuasca — there won’t be dispensaries any time soon, but it’s a step forward.

Mississippi gets a new flag

While the Mississippi state houses voted to 86 the Confederate-themed state flag back in July, the Magnolia State officially voted to confirm its new flag on Tuesday. Look how pretty!

Massachusetts gets the right to repair

Massachusetts passed a Right to Repair law that iFixit calls the most advanced in the world: from 2022, car manufacturers will have to share repair data with consumers and repair shops, not just dealers. 

The law will cut car owners and local mechanics back in on the repair process, rather than restricting repairs to dealerships and dealership partner shops. 

Florida votes for a higher minimum wage

The Sunshine State appears to have voted to (gradually) almost double the minimum wage, which is currently just $8.56 but will go up to $10 next year, with $1 increases annually until it’s at $15 in 2026. It’s a huge win for service and other minimum wage workers in Florida, and the slow increase means there won’t be immediate pressure on the businesses employing those workers.