Washington voters projected to ban transgender girls from girls' school sports

Washington voters are projected to approve a ballot measure that ends the state's long-standing policy allowing transgender girls to play on girls' and women's school sports teams, according to Decision Desk HQ, a firm that tracks election results ¹. The measure is Initiative 638, also called the Defending Equity in Interscholastic Sports Act ¹.

The Hill called it a major loss for transgender rights advocates in a blue state ¹. Washington has let students compete on teams that match their gender identity since 2007 ².

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What the measure does

The initiative requires school districts and nonprofits to "prohibit biologically male students from competing with and against female students" when a sport is divided by gender ¹. Students who want to play on a girls' team must submit documentation from a health care provider verifying their sex ¹.

Washington already requires athletes to have a physical exam. Under the new rule, the provider must verify the student's sex during that exam, relying on "reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or normal endogenously produced testosterone levels" ¹.

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Opponents said before the vote that the measure would require all girls in sports to undergo a genital exam ². Brian Heywood, the wealthy investor who is the chief funder of the measure, denies that it requires athletes to undress ².

A different path to the same policy

Washington joins 27 states that enacted similar laws before Tuesday's elections, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a policy research group ¹. Those laws began in Republican-led legislatures ¹. This push came directly from voters in a state that tends to lean Democratic ¹.

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Supporters took the issue to the ballot instead of the legislature. Vivian Topping of the Equality Federation, an advocacy group, said before the vote that conservatives were trying an end-run around elected lawmakers ².

The numbers at stake are small. The state's athletic association estimates about 10 of 101,000 female athletes in Washington are transgender ². Money was not small: Let's Go Washington, the sponsor, raised $12 million, while the opposition group raised $4.5 million ².

Courts and what happens next

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to reject arguments that transgender athlete bans violate Title IX, the federal law against sex discrimination in schools, or the Constitution's equal protection guarantee ¹.

Washington's current policy has also reached the justices. A mother whose daughter says a transgender girl sexually assaulted her during a wrestling match wants an exemption from competing against a transgender girl in the future ¹. Lower courts rejected her argument, and she filed an emergency appeal ¹.

The request has been ready for a decision for nearly three weeks, and the justices have not acted ¹. The Hill's report said similar measures were on Tuesday's ballot in Arizona, Colorado and Nebraska. Results for those were not in the sources reviewed for this brief ¹.

That matters because it shows the issue is no longer confined to Republican-run statehouses. Voters in a Democratic-leaning state chose this change themselves. A 2025 Gallup poll found 69% of U.S. adults think transgender athletes should play only on teams matching their birth sex ².

The Record

1. Jan 1, 2007Washington began allowing students to compete on teams matching their gender identity; the year is the only date given ².
2. Oct 30, 2026The Washington Post reported voters in five states would decide transgender youth rights, with Republicans spending at least $196 million on transgender-related ads versus about $14 million for Democrats ².
3. Nov 3, 2026Washington voters were projected to approve Initiative 638, requiring provider verification of sex for girls' team sports ¹.

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<h2>Washington voters projected to ban transgender girls from girls&#39; school sports</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/washington-voters-projected-to-ban-transgender-girls-from-girls-school-sports">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 5, 2026.</em></p> <p>Washington voters are projected to approve a ballot measure that ends the state&#39;s long-standing policy allowing transgender girls to play on girls&#39; and women&#39;s school sports teams, according to Decision Desk HQ, a firm that tracks election results . The measure is Initiative 638, also called the Defending Equity in Interscholastic Sports Act .</p> <p>The Hill called it a major loss for transgender rights advocates in a blue state . Washington has let students compete on teams that match their gender identity since 2007 .</p> <h2>What the measure does</h2> <p>The initiative requires school districts and nonprofits to &quot;prohibit biologically male students from competing with and against female students&quot; when a sport is divided by gender . Students who want to play on a girls&#39; team must submit documentation from a health care provider verifying their sex .</p> <p>Washington already requires athletes to have a physical exam. Under the new rule, the provider must verify the student&#39;s sex during that exam, relying on &quot;reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or normal endogenously produced testosterone levels&quot; .</p> <p>Opponents said before the vote that the measure would require all girls in sports to undergo a genital exam . Brian Heywood, the wealthy investor who is the chief funder of the measure, denies that it requires athletes to undress .</p> <h2>A different path to the same policy</h2> <p>Washington joins 27 states that enacted similar laws before Tuesday&#39;s elections, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a policy research group . Those laws began in Republican-led legislatures . This push came directly from voters in a state that tends to lean Democratic .</p> <p>Supporters took the issue to the ballot instead of the legislature. Vivian Topping of the Equality Federation, an advocacy group, said before the vote that conservatives were trying an end-run around elected lawmakers .</p> <p>The numbers at stake are small. The state&#39;s athletic association estimates about 10 of 101,000 female athletes in Washington are transgender . Money was not small: Let&#39;s Go Washington, the sponsor, raised $12 million, while the opposition group raised $4.5 million .</p> <h2>Courts and what happens next</h2> <p>Earlier this year, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to reject arguments that transgender athlete bans violate Title IX, the federal law against sex discrimination in schools, or the Constitution&#39;s equal protection guarantee .</p> <p>Washington&#39;s current policy has also reached the justices. A mother whose daughter says a transgender girl sexually assaulted her during a wrestling match wants an exemption from competing against a transgender girl in the future . Lower courts rejected her argument, and she filed an emergency appeal .</p> <p>The request has been ready for a decision for nearly three weeks, and the justices have not acted . The Hill&#39;s report said similar measures were on Tuesday&#39;s ballot in Arizona, Colorado and Nebraska. Results for those were not in the sources reviewed for this brief .</p> <p>That matters because it shows the issue is no longer confined to Republican-run statehouses. Voters in a Democratic-leaning state chose this change themselves. A 2025 Gallup poll found 69% of U.S. adults think transgender athletes should play only on teams matching their birth sex .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/washington-voters-projected-to-ban-transgender-girls-from-girls-school-sports">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/washington-voters-projected-to-ban-transgender-girls-from-girls-school-sports.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The Hill, “Washington voters approve transgender athlete ban” (2026-11-06). thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6190015-washington-voters-appr
2. The Washington Post via Anchorage Daily News, “In historic first, voters in five states will decide transgender youth rights” (2026-10-30). adn.com/nation-world/2026/10/29/in-historic-first-voters-in-

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