AUGUSTA — A citizen initiative focused on transgender sports participation and bathroom access at school is likely headed to the November ballot.
The Maine Department of Secretary of State certified on Tuesday that Protect Girls Sports in Maine met the signature threshold to put a question before voters. Technically, the initiative now goes before state lawmakers, who are likely to send it directly to voters.
In a statement, Protect Girls Sports in Maine Principal Officer Leyland Streiff said Mainers will now decide how the Maine Principals Association will oversee transgender participation in high school sports.
“This November, Mainers will get to do what the MPA and state legislature have failed to do, and they’ll get to do it through the most democratic process possible — a simple majority vote will designate competitive sports and private facilities in our schools by sex,” he said.
Across the country, laws in 27 states ban transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the Movement Advancement Project.
Opponents of the ballot measure, which includes EqualityMaine, GLAD Law and the Maine Women’s Lobby, said they will work together as the Campaign for Free and Fair Schools to defeat the ballot measure.
“It would embolden adults and members of the public to harass and scrutinize student athletes who just want to be on the team,” said Gia Drew, executive director of EqualityMaine. “Enshrining the harassment of LGBTQ+ students into state law would hurt vulnerable kids and send the wrong message about who we are as Mainers.”
The groups questioned funding for the initiative, saying it is being driven by money from out of state.
The issue rose to national prominence in February 2025 when President Donald Trump called out Maine for its policy of allowing transgender girls to participate on girls’ sports teams.
Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat now running for the U.S. Senate, told the president she would see him in court over the issue, insisting that Maine is following state and federal law when it comes to transgender rights.
Since then, the Maine Human Rights Commission has filed suit against seven local school districts that have voted to ban transgender girls from girls’ sports teams.
A March 2025 poll showed 64% of Maine residents believe transgender female athletes should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports, according to the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.
New polling released this month by Pan Atlantic Research asked respondents to say whether Maine should comply with the federal government’s call to ban transgender athletes from competition “to avoid losing federal education funding.”
Nearly half — 49% — said they believe Maine should comply with federal demands, 35% said Maine should not comply and 16% were undecided.
The proposed citizen initiative requires schools to designate all sports teams as male, female or co-ed. It defines sex as a person’s status at birth. It also requires public schools to maintain separate restrooms, locker rooms and shower rooms for girls and boys.
Majority Democrats in the Legislature defeated eight bills last year that EqualityMaine described as “anti-trans,” including measures similar to the citizen initiative.
Supporters say it’s a commonsense issue.
“As a lifelong coach and girl dad, I can truly say this initiative is common sense and much needed,” Allen Cornwall, a sports official, said in a statement. “Protections of privacy and opportunity based on sex have existed for decades, and they’re critical to a level, competitive and fair playing field — especially for our girls.”
But opponents warn that the ballot question is part of a larger agenda from outside of Maine.
“Attacking gender identity is an attack on all women and girls — from their bodily autonomy to their right to express their gender however they see fit without fear of policing and bullying,” said Destie Hohman Sprague, executive director of the Maine Women’s Lobby. “We want all kids, regardless of their gender, to be able to participate normally in school.”