Backers of a citizen initiative aimed at banning transgender students in school sports in Maine have gathered enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said her staff certified more than 70,000 signatures, more than enough to qualify the petition.
Leyland Streiff, of Protect Girls Sports in Maine and Principal organizer for the petition, said the referendum is not a party line issue.
"We felt like a citizen initiative and ballot referendum is the way to handle this. What's more democratic than every Mainer gets to show up, have their voice heard in simple majority vote that determines what we do as a state moving forward," Streiff said.
A coalition of opponents said they have launched a statewide campaign, Campaign for Free and Fair Schools, against the referendum. The coalition includes Maine Women's Lobby, EqualityMaine, and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law).
Destie Hohman Sprague is executive director of the Maine Women's Lobby. She said Protect Girls Sports in Maine efforts were largely funded by a conservative out-of-state billionaire involved in political campaigns.
"We really believe that Maine is a place that cares about our neighbors, including our trans neighbors, and is not prepared to enshrine in state law a proposal that would discriminate against all children in public schools in Maine K to 12," Hohman Sprague said.
The initiative now goes to the Maine Legislature which can enact the bill as written or send it to voters on November 3.
