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Washington voters approve ballot measure barring transgender girls from girls' sports

The Guardian reports that Washington voters passed Initiative 638, with nearly 57% support as of Thursday morning while counting continued.

Published Nov 5, 2026 · 19:51 UTC5 reports

The short version

  • Washington voters passed Initiative 638, which bans transgender girls from girls' school sports teams.[The Guardian]
  • Support was nearly 57% as of Thursday morning, and votes were still being counted.[The Guardian]
  • Opponents argue the measure may force girls to undergo invasive genital exams, and more than 140 healthcare providers oppose it.[The Guardian]
  • More than 25 states have similar bans, and Arizona and Nebraska approved similar measures this week while a Colorado ban was leading but uncalled.[The Guardian]

Key facts

  • Voters in Washington state passed Initiative 638, a ballot measure banning transgender girls from school sports.[The Guardian]
  • Initiative 638 had nearly 57% support as of Thursday morning, with votes still being counted.[The Guardian]
  • Opponents argue the measure may force girls to endure invasive genital exams to participate in school sports.[The Guardian]
  • More than 140 healthcare providers issued a statement opposing Washington's measure.[The Guardian]
  • More than 25 states have adopted similar bans on trans youth athletes, mostly through legislation pushed by Republican lawmakers.[The Guardian]
  • Voters in Arizona and Nebraska approved similar ballot measures this week.[The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • The Washington result reflects counts as of Thursday morning, and votes were still being counted.[The Guardian]
  • Colorado's ban was leading in early results, but the race had not been called.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.