AUGUSTA, Maine — A citizen-led initiative aimed at designating school sports participation and facilities by sex is officially headed to the November 2026 ballot after the Maine Secretary of State’s office confirmed the petition met the required signature threshold.
According to the Secretary of State’s determination, 8,067 petition forms containing 79,692 signatures were submitted on February 2, 2026. Following a review, 71,033 signatures were deemed valid, exceeding the required 67,682 signatures by 3,351 and qualifying the measure for the ballot.
The petition, titled “An Act to Designate School Sports Participation and Facilities by Sex,” was backed by the Protect Girls Sports in Maine campaign, which reported gathering more than 82,000 signatures statewide, with over 76,000 initially validated across 355 towns.
In a statement, Protect Girls Sports in Maine Principal Officer Leyland Streiff said the referendum represents an opportunity for Mainers to decide the issue through a statewide vote.
“It’s official! 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. This is inclusive, fair and safe, everyone gets to play sports; not one single person is banned,” Streiff said.
The Secretary of State’s review identified 8,659 invalid signatures for a range of reasons, including lack of municipal certification, duplicate entries, improper dating, missing affidavits, and incomplete or altered forms. Despite those disqualifications, the remaining valid signatures were sufficient to certify the petition.
Supporters of the initiative say it has gained traction among students, athletes, and coaches across Maine.
Allen Cornwall, a former coach and official, described the measure as “common sense and much needed,” emphasizing protections tied to sex-based participation and privacy in athletics.
“As a lifelong coach and girl dad, I can truly say this initiative is common sense and much needed. 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. This referendum, when passed, will ensure everyone, male or female, is given equal opportunity and protection under the law. No one is discriminated against, everyone is treated and protected equally,” Cornwall said.
Student athlete advocate Sofia Pride also voiced support, pointing to concerns about fairness and privacy in school sports.
“Maine girls want their sex-based rights protected, including autonomy in their locker rooms and fairness in competition. It’s difficult for young women to advocate for themselves when their concerns are mischaracterized or dismissed or even attacked. That’s why bringing this issue to the ballot in November matters. It gives Mainers the opportunity to stand with female athletes and show them that their voices are heard,” Pride said.
Streiff concluded by framing the referendum as a statewide decision on how schools approach sex-based distinctions in athletics and facilities.
“Maine is far too progressive to allow Sex-based discrimination to continue. If a female wants a female-only space or opportunity, she must be afforded that under the law. Anything else is discrimination, and frankly regressive. Together, Mainers will finally get a chance to provide a simple solution, one that protects everyone equally, discriminates against no one, and protects the dignity and importance of Sex in our schools and competitive sports,” he said.
Streiff, later spoke with the Maine Wire and said “Today marks a huge milestone on the journey to ending the sex based discrimination currently taking place in Maine’s public schools. Female and male students both deserve sex-designated opportunities and privacies, and sex deserves equal protection under State and Federal laws. We can, and should, include everyone, but we need to do so without stripping away the sex-based rights of our students, as a state, we are way too progressive to be discriminating based on sex. The proposed act provides a simple solution by designating competitive sports and private facilities by sex; everyone plays, no one is banned. This is inclusive, safe, fair, and simply common sense. And, above all, it’s democratic, a simple majority vote will reflect the will of Mainers, and their desire to have private facilities (like locker rooms, bathrooms and showers) and competitive sports in schools designated by sex. Male, Female, Co-Ed.”
The measure will appear on the November 2026 ballot, where voters will decide its fate.
history