Group behind Maine transgender sports referendum will submit for 2027 ballot
Protect Girls Sports Resubmits Referendum to Limit Transgender Student‑Athletes’ Rights for 2027 Ballot
August 1, 2026 – Augusta, Maine
The group Protect Girls Sports announced today it will submit a citizen initiative to the Secretary of State’s office for the 2027 election, following a legal battle that kept the same referendum off the 2026 ballot. The initiative seeks to restrict participation in school sports and access to facilities—including bathrooms and locker rooms—based on a student’s sex assigned at birth, rather than gender identity.
Background of the Legal Challenge
Protect Girls Sports filed the proposal with the Maine Secretary of State in early 2026. Secretary Shenna Bellows initially certified the initiative, but a lawsuit filed by opponents alleged that some out‑of‑state signature collectors violated state rules during the petition‑gathering process. Bellows agreed with the complaint, invalidated thousands of signatures, and left the petition 500 signatures short of the required threshold. The case progressed through the state court system, and in July the Maine Supreme Judicial Court confirmed Bellows’ decision, ruling that the signatures were invalid and the referendum could not appear on the November 2026 ballot.
Despite the invalidated signatures, Protect Girls Sports still had tens of thousands of lawful signatures collected before the deadline. These signatures remain valid for one year after filing. The group therefore plans to gather at least an additional 5,000 signatures before November 3, 2026—when the current set of signatures will expire.
Resubmission and News Conference
According to a statement released Wednesday, the group will resubmit its citizen initiative and signatures to Secretary Bellows’ office on Monday, one day before the filing deadline. In a separate announcement, the organization said it will hold a news conference featuring two female student athletes who it claims have had their Title IX rights violated. The athletes, soccer players from Windham and Fryeburg, will be represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group that has filed similar complaints in other states.
Lead petitioner Leyland Streiff, a Brunswick resident, said that over 100 volunteers helped collect thousands more signatures in the past month from “motivated Mainers that believe our schools should offer access to single‑sex sports and private spaces.” Streiff also said the group intends to file a Title IX complaint against the state of Maine, the Maine Principal’s Association, and school districts on behalf of the two athletes.
Potential Impact of the Referendum
If the referendum passes, schools would be required to allow participation in athletics and use of school facilities based on a student’s sex assigned at birth. The measure would directly conflict with the Maine Human Rights Act of 2021, which mandates non‑discrimination on the basis of gender identity in school extracurricular activities. The Maine Principal’s Association, which oversees high school sports, changed its rules in 2024 to allow transgender athletes to participate in sports consistent with their gender identities—a policy it had previously supported through waivers for over a decade.
Current Status
- Protect Girls Sports has the signatures needed to qualify for the 2027 ballot.
- The group will file the petition and signatures on Monday, August 1, 2026.
- A news conference is scheduled to feature two female student athletes alleging Title IX violations.
- If approved by voters, the referendum would shift participation rules to sex assigned at birth, potentially overriding existing state law.
The outcome of the upcoming 2027 ballot will determine whether Maine will adopt a policy that limits transgender student‑athletes’ rights in school sports and facilities. The state’s legal and educational communities will watch closely as the campaign unfolds.
