Advocacy groups get trans athlete bans on ballots in Maine, Colorado

Advocacy groups opposed to transgender athletes in girls' sports have successfully petitioned to place ballot measures on the ballots in Maine and Colorado, allowing voters to decide the issue directly. The initiatives are part of a broader wave of campaigns across multiple states seeking to restrict transgender participation in school sports. These ballot measures represent a shift in how the transgender sports debate is being fought—moving from state legislatures to direct voter approval. The outcome in Maine and Colorado could influence similar efforts in other states and signal public opinion on a contentious social policy issue. Transgender athletes' eligibility for gender-specific sports competitions has become an increasingly prominent political flashpoint, dividing both parties and advocacy groups.