Record 698 openly LGBTQ officials currently serving in the United States

June 25 (UPI) -- The number of out LGBTQ elected officials reached its highest point in U.S. history after the 2018 elections, a report released Tuesday indicates.

Voters elected 698 openly LGBTQ officials to government positions nationwide during the year ending June 1, 2019, a 24.9 percent increase from the 559 elected during the prior 12 months, the Victory Institute's 2019 Out for America report said.

"Over the past year, LGBTQ candidates of color and trans candidates have won in unprecedented numbers, increasing the diversity of LGBTQ elected officials across the nation," wrote Houston Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of the Victory Institute.

The number of bisexual elected officials increased by 126 percent, the number of queer officials increased 100 percent, transgender officials rose by 53.8 percent, black, African American and/or Afro-Caribbean LGBTQ officials increased 43.3 percent, 29.5 percent more cisgender LGBTQ women were elected and there was a 27.5 percent increase in Latinx LGBTQ elected officials.

"Although great strides were made in the past year, LGBTQ people of color, bisexual, transgender and queer people and LGBTQ cisgender women are still severely underrepresented among LGBTQ officials," the report states.

The report also notes that as a whole LGBTQ people represent 0.13 percent of elected officials nationwide.

The Victory Institute said 22,688 more LGBTQ officials must be elected to receive equitable representation in government including one more governor, one more mayor of one of the country's hundred largest cities, three more senators, nine more statewide executives, 12 more U.S. representatives and 186 more state legislators.