AUGUSTA — The citizen initiative petition effort, “An Act to Designate School Sports Participation and Facilities by Sex” has been found valid, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said March 17.

The petitions for An Act to Designate School Sports Participation and Facilities by Sex had been in circulation since November 3, 2025. On February 2, 2026, the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions received 8,067 petition forms with 79,692 signatures.

Staff members at the Bureau completed the process of certifying the petitions, finding 71,033 signatures valid and 8,659 signatures invalid.

A minimum of 67,682 signatures from registered Maine voters is required for citizen initiatives submitted following the 2022 gubernatorial election (not less than 10% of the total votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election). With the minimum threshold of valid signatures met, the petition has been deemed valid by Secretary Bellows.

APPEALS: Any voter may appeal the decision of the Secretary of State by commencing an action in the Superior Court; this action must occur within 10 calendar days of the date of the decision of the Secretary of State.

NEXT STEPS: The initiative will now go to the Maine Legislature for consideration, per the provisions of the Maine Constitution, and the Legislature can choose to enact the bill as written or to send it forward to a statewide vote on November 3, 2026. Should the initiative advance to a statewide vote, state law requires Secretary Bellows to present each proposed legislation on the ballot “in a clear, concise and direct manner that describes the subject matter… as simply as possible.”

The public will be given the opportunity to comment on the question’s form and content for a 30-day period before the Secretary of State finalizes the wording of the ballot question.