Ballot Measures in Two Blue States Target Transgender Athletes in School Sports

October 26, 2026 - 21:14

Voters in Colorado and Washington will decide this fall whether to bar transgender girls from competing on girls' school sports teams, after activists bypassed their state legislatures to place the question directly on the ballot. Both states are reliably Democratic, and their elected officials have repeatedly rejected similar proposals, so supporters turned to the citizen initiative process instead.

The measures would require schools to restrict female athletic teams to students whose sex was assigned female at birth, affecting competition from youth leagues through high school. Backers argue the change protects fairness and safety in girls' sports. Opponents counter that the proposals single out a small group of students, subject children to invasive verification, and conflict with existing state policies that already allow participation consistent with gender identity.

The campaigns arrive as the issue remains a flashpoint nationally, with a patchwork of state laws producing sharply different rules for young athletes. Supporters on both sides expect legal challenges regardless of the outcome. Election officials are preparing for heavy turnout on the question, and both campaigns say they will focus on turning out voters rather than winning over the other side. Results could signal how far the issue reaches beyond states where Republican lawmakers have led the push.