Washington voters have approved a measure reserving girls’ school sports for biological females, handing supporters a victory in a reliably Democratic state. Initiative 638 will change eligibility rules for athletes in kindergarten through high school. Opponents are exploring a court challenge, while the organization overseeing interscholastic athletics prepares schools to comply with the new requirements.
The proposal reached the November 3rd ballot after lawmakers declined to act on it during the 2026 legislative session. Filed the previous year as an initiative to the Legislature, it could have become law through legislative approval. Instead, voters received the question directly, deciding whether schools should exclude biological males from competitions designated exclusively for female students.
Under the measure, students seeking to enter those competitions must provide a signed statement from a healthcare provider verifying their biological sex. The requirement covers individual events as well as team competitions where male and female classifications are separate. Verification is based on reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup or naturally produced testosterone levels, with school governing bodies responsible for establishing the rules.
The Guardian reported the passage on Thursday, November 5th. KOMO News reported that the measure had drawn 56.6% support in the count it cited, with ballots still being tallied. Let’s Go Washington founder Brian Heywood celebrated the result in a statement carried by KOMO: “Tonight, those girls see that well over a million Washingtonians stand with them and care that their sports are safe and fair.”
The Washington House Office of Program Research outlined the initiative’s provisions in an August 21st analysis. Its background section also described President Donald Trump’s February 2025 executive order directing federal agencies to protect female athletic opportunities. That order instructed the Education Department to prioritize enforcement against educational programs requiring female students to compete against males in the women’s category.
Support for the initiative included the Mead School Board, which unanimously adopted a resolution backing it earlier this year, the Washington State Standard reported. Board director Michael Cannon said, “This has been an issue that has always had majority support.” Heywood addressed athletes in his election-night statement: “To every female athlete who wondered whether her voice mattered: tonight, Washington heard you.”
Watch KOMO News’ coverage of the initiative here:
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The potential legal fight involves Gender Justice League, a Seattle advocacy organization whose executive director, Danni Askini, discussed possible litigation with KUOW, which reported the developments Thursday. The group is considering a privacy challenge drawing on a 2008 case involving suspicionless student urine testing. Askini said: “If there is an avenue, we will challenge this ballot measure in court,” while the organization continued evaluating its options.
Washington State Democratic Party chair Shasti Conrad initially told KUOW on Wednesday that she planned to fight the measure in court. By Thursday morning, the party had withdrawn that position and said it would not litigate the issue. The ACLU of Washington also criticized the outcome, but its spokesperson declined to discuss potential litigation.
Schools are preparing for implementation on December 3rd, according to KUOW’s reporting. Washington Interscholastic Activities Association spokesperson Sean Bessette said the organization would follow state law while lawyers reviewed the details of the physical-examination requirements. After that review, the association plans to distribute revised forms and instructions to schools explaining how to comply with the new requirements.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.