Washington state voters appear to have approved Initiative 638, a ballot measure that would require K-12 athletes to compete on teams aligned with their biological sex. If the measure is certified, it would mark the first time voters have approved a statewide law separating boys' and girls' sports.

Supporters of the initiative, led by the organization Let's Go Washington, celebrated as unofficial election returns showed a significant lead for the measure. Frances Staudt, a student who advocated for the initiative, expressed her emotion, stating, "We did it! It's not been an easy fight, and I'm so proud of us. And I'm so happy to be here with a victory. Washington people have had enough."

At the time of reporting, the "yes" vote held a 13.6 percent lead with 60 percent of ballots counted. Prediction market Kalshi gave the measure a 91 percent chance of passing. Twenty-seven other states, all of which voted for Donald Trump in 2024, have laws enforcing such separation, but those were enacted by state legislatures, not directly by voters.

Supporters hope that I-638's passage in a predominantly Democratic state could inspire similar measures elsewhere. Brian Heywood, founder of Let's Go Washington, called it a "big bellwether," suggesting that "citizens who are voting very blue still in a lot of ways saying, hey, it's not a Republican/Democrat issue, it's a parental issue, it's a fairness in girls sports issue."

The campaign gained momentum following controversies, including an incident involving a transgender cross-country runner at Camas High School. This runner, who had previously competed on the boys' team, began participating in girls' races and won a varsity event. Critics argued this impacted opportunities for female athletes, leading to a protest where about a dozen female teammates walked off the starting line at a meet.

Women's sports advocate Amy Sousa, who documented the protest, expressed her satisfaction with the early results, calling it "protecting Title IX, the promise of what our foremothers fought for — on the basis of sex."

Elsewhere, Colorado's Proposition 134, which proposes sex-based eligibility requirements for K-12 and college athletics, was also leading, though by a narrower margin. Jennifer Sey, chair of the Proposition 134 campaign, stated, "This was never a partisan issue. It’s a common-sense issue. Basic truth and biological reality don’t have a party."

Arizona and Nebraska also had sports-related ballot measures. Nebraska's Initiative 442 aimed to place existing restrictions on transgender athletes in the state's constitution. Arizona's Proposition 318 sought to expand existing restrictions to private schools and athletic associations and would establish sex-based requirements for locker rooms and restrooms.