Maine Officials Say Girls' Sports Ballot Initiative Falls Short On Signatures
Maine election officials say a citizen initiative to require school sports and facilities be designated by biological sex fell 532 signatures short of qualifying for the statewide ballot.
Reviewers counted 67,150 valid signatures, while 67,682 were required. Katherine McBrien recommended rejecting 12,542 signatures, including nearly 2,000 duplicates, after a judge ordered a second review. Protect Girls Sports in Maine plans to file objections before the May 23 deadline, keeping legal fights alive ahead of a final decision from Secretary of State Shenna Bellows by May 26.
The measure would require teams and school facilities to be designated by the biological sex listed on students' birth certificates, except for co-ed teams. Backers collected signatures to place the proposal on the statewide ballot, but court challenges and the second review whittled the petition total down enough that reviewers found it short of the threshold.
OutKick reported the initiative is in danger of being blocked.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- The initiative would require school sports teams and facilities to be designated by biological sex on students' birth certificates, except for co-ed teams.
- On review, state officials found 67,150 valid signatures, 532 short of the 67,682 needed to qualify for Maine's statewide ballot.
- Katherine McBrien recommended rejecting 12,542 signatures, including nearly 2,000 duplicates, after a judge ordered a second review following a court challenge.
- Secretary of State Shenna Bellows must issue a final decision on the initiative's ballot status by May 26, 2026.
- Protect Girls Sports in Maine plans to file objections to the recommendation before the May 23 deadline, signaling continued legal and political battles.
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