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HRC’s Municipal Equality Index to Add 98 New Cities to 2016 Report
Post submitted by Collen Kutney, State and Municipal Program Manager
For the first time, The Municipal Equality Index (MEI), in conjunction with the Equality Federation, asked members and supporters to vote on the new cities to be rated.
The MEI is a nationwide evaluation of municipal laws, policies and services and rates them on the basis of their inclusiveness of LGBTQ people who live and work there. Previously, the MEI chose cities based on several criteria including the 50 state capitals, the top 200 largest cities in the country, cities with a high proportion of same-sex couples, the top five largest cities in each state and the cities with the two largest public universities (undergraduate and graduate enrollment).
The MEI rates each municipality in five categories: Non-Discrimination Laws, Municipality as Employer, Municipal Services, Law Enforcement and Relationship with the LGBTQ Community.
With the help of the Equality Federation and state and local advocates, five cities were nominated in each state. Members and supporters were asked to choose two cities they would like to see rated in the MEI. The nominees were small and large cities from different regions of the state.
Ninety-eight cities will be added to the MEI to create a total of 506 cities rated across the country. The 2016 MEI will be published in the fall. To see the full 2015 MEI, click here.
Here are the 98 cities that will be added to the MEI:
Florence, Alabama
Hoover, Alabama
Homer, Alaska
Wasilla, Alaska
Avondale, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona
Conway, Arkansas
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Palm Desert, California
Santa Monica, California
Aspen, Colorado
Littleton, Colorado
Fairfield, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Bethany Beach, Delaware
Milford, Delaware
Coral Gables, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Roswell, Georgia
Sandy Springs, Georgia
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Moscow, Idaho
Carbondale, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Muncie, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Dubuque, Iowa
West Des Moines, Iowa
Emporia, Kansas
Hutchinson, Kansas
Berea, Kentucky
Morehead, Kentucky
Alexandria, Louisiana
Monroe, Louisiana
Columbia (Howard County), Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Brunswick, Maine
Scarborough, Maine
Arlington, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Traverse City, Michigan
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Minnetonka, Minnesota
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
St. Charles, Missouri
Kalispell, Montana
Whitefish, Montana
Fremont, Nebraska
North Platte, Nebraska
Elko, Nevada
Mesquite, Nevada
Keene, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Hoboken, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Farmington, New Mexico
Gallup, New Mexico
Ithaca, New York
White Plains, New York
Carborro, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Jamestown, North Dakota
Mandan, North Dakota
Dublin, Ohio
Lakewood, Ohio
Edmond, Oklahoma
Moore, Oklahoma
Ashland, Oregon
Bend, Oregon
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Greenville, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Spearfish, South Dakota
Mitchell, South Dakota
Franklin, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Denton, Texas
Round Rock, Texas
Park City, Utah
Ogden City, Utah
Brattleboro , Vermont
Winooski, Vermont
Charlottesville, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Bellingham, Washington
Kent, Washington
Charles Town, West Virginia
Lewisburg, West Virginia
Appleton, Wisconsin
OshKosh, Wisconsin
Jackson, Wyoming
Sheridan, Wyoming
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