Washington Initiative 638 passed on November 4, 2026. The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday evening. The statewide ballot measure bars transgender girls from competing on girls school sports teams. At the time of the call, about 56.6 percent voted yes and about 43.4 percent voted no. The measure takes effect on December 3, 2026, thirty days after the election. It applies to kindergarten through grade 12 sports regulated by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, known as the WIAA. It is the first measure of its kind in Washington state.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Measure | Initiative 638, a statewide ballot measure in Washington |
| Result | Passed, called by the Associated Press on Wednesday evening, November 4, 2026 |
| Yes vote | About 56.6 percent, about 1,252,863 votes at the time of the call |
| No vote | About 43.4 percent, about 961,810 votes at the time of the call |
| Precincts reporting | About 67.5 percent at the time of the call |
| Applies to | Girls school sports for kindergarten through grade 12, regulated by the WIAA |
| Sponsor | Political action committee Lets Go Washington |
| Effective date | December 3, 2026, thirty days after the election |
| Certification | Counties certify results November 24, state certifies by December 3 |
| Legal outlook | Legal challenges are expected |
What Washington Initiative 638 Does
Washington Initiative 638 changes who may compete on girls school sports teams in Washington. The measure bars students it defines as biologically male from girls competitions. It covers sports for kindergarten through grade 12 that fall under the rules of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. The WIAA is the body that regulates school sports in the state, and its rules shape how teams, seasons, and eligibility work for public schools and many private schools.
The measure also adds a verification step. Any student seeking to play on a girls team must provide a signed statement from their personal healthcare provider. That statement must verify their biological sex, based on reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup or endogenous testosterone levels. The check takes place during routine sports physicals, which are already part of school sports participation for many students. The measure does not create a separate testing program outside that process, according to the description of how it is written.
The WIAA has said it knows of around 10 transgender students playing school sports in the state. That figure gives a sense of scale for the direct effect on current athletes, even as the rule itself applies to all girls teams in the covered grades. The measure does not apply to college sports. It is limited to the school sports system described in the ballot language.
Supporters of the measure say it protects fairness in girls sports. They argue that biological differences can affect speed, strength, and endurance, and that girls teams should be reserved for students who are biologically female. They also argue that a statewide rule gives schools, coaches, and families a clear standard, rather than leaving the question to case by case decisions.
Opponents of the measure say it creates new hurdles for girls who want to play sports. The Washington State PTA opposed it, saying the verification requirement would put new barriers in the way of girls who want to compete. Critics also say the rule singles out a small group of students and could lead to invasive questions about young athletes. They say participation in school sports should be open and welcoming, and that schools already manage teams, tryouts, and playing time without a statewide ban.
How the Vote Unfolded
The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday evening, November 4, 2026. At that point, about 56.6 percent of counted votes were yes, about 1,252,863 votes, and about 43.4 percent were no, about 961,810 votes. About 67.5 percent of precincts had reported. The margin was clear enough for the AP to declare the measure passed, even though counting continued.
Washington counts ballots over days after Election Day, so the final totals may shift slightly from the numbers reported at the time of the call. Counties in the state certify their results on November 24. The state then certifies the results by December 3. That timeline matters because the effective date of the measure lines up with the end of the certification process.
The measure was sponsored by Lets Go Washington, a political action committee that has backed several statewide ballot measures. The campaign for Initiative 638 focused on girls sports and fairness. The campaign against it focused on inclusion, privacy, and the effect on students who want to take part in school life.
Attorney General Nick Brown reacted to the early results at the Democratic election night event. His reaction came as results were still coming in, and it reflected the close attention that state leaders paid to the measure. The attorney general plays a role in state legal matters, and his office is likely to be involved if the measure faces court challenges, as many observers expect.
The vote took place during the 2026 midterm elections, a night that brought a series of notable results across the country. In Washington, voters were also deciding two other statewide measures that night. Both were trailing at the time Initiative 638 was called. For readers following the wider midterm picture, our coverage of midterm 2026 historic firsts and the Democrats sweep sets out the national context for the night.
What Happens Next
Washington Initiative 638 takes effect on December 3, 2026, thirty days after the election. That date is set by state law for ballot measures. Until then, the current rules remain in place. That timing has a direct effect on the current sports season, because a state championship cross-country race is scheduled for Saturday, November 7 in Pasco. A transgender high school runner is still set to compete in that race, because the measure does not take effect for 30 days. The student is not named here, in line with our policy on minors.
After December 3, schools and the WIAA will need to apply the new rule. The measure requires a signed statement from a personal healthcare provider during routine sports physicals. Schools, families, and doctors will need to understand what that statement must say and how it is filed. The WIAA will also need to set out how it will handle questions, appeals, and disputes that may arise when a student seeks to play on a girls team.
Legal challenges are expected. Similar measures in other states have faced lawsuits, and lawyers on both sides have been preparing for a challenge in Washington. A court case could ask whether the measure conflicts with state anti-discrimination law or with federal law. It could also ask how the verification requirement should be applied in practice. Any lawsuit could take months to resolve, and a court could pause parts of the measure while the case moves forward.
Counties will certify their results on November 24, and the state will certify by December 3. Those steps are routine parts of the election process. They confirm the final vote totals and make the result official. Once certification is complete, the measure becomes part of state law, subject to any court action that may follow.
The Wider Picture in Washington and Beyond
Washington Initiative 638 was not the only statewide measure on the Washington ballot. Two other measures were trailing when Initiative 638 was called. Initiative 645, which would repeal the 9.9 percent tax on income over 1 million dollars, trailed at about 42 percent yes. Initiative 001, on parents rights, trailed at about 47 percent yes. Those results show that voters made distinct choices on each measure, rather than voting the same way on all three.
Similar sports measures also passed or were on their way to passage in Arizona, Colorado, and Nebraska. Colorado Proposition 134 covers kindergarten through college, a wider range than the Washington measure. The pattern across states suggests that the question of transgender participation in school sports remains a live issue in many parts of the country, with voters in several states backing limits.
The Washington Initiative 638 vote is the first measure of its kind in the state. That makes it a notable moment in Washington politics, even as the practical effect may be limited to a small number of athletes. The debate is likely to continue in the courts, in the legislature, and in school board meetings, as families and officials work through what the new rule means in daily practice.
The 2026 midterms also produced other historic results. Voters elected a record number of Black governors, a story covered in our report on the record five Black governors elected in the 2026 midterms. Those results, taken with the Washington vote, show a night where voters in different states made history in different ways.
When does Washington Initiative 638 take effect?
It takes effect on December 3, 2026, thirty days after the election. Counties certify results November 24 and the state certifies by December 3.
Who does the measure apply to?
It applies to girls school sports for kindergarten through grade 12 regulated by the WIAA. It bars students the measure defines as biologically male from girls competitions.
What verification does the measure require?
A student seeking to play on a girls team must provide a signed statement from their personal healthcare provider verifying their biological sex, based on reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup or endogenous testosterone levels, during routine sports physicals.
Will the measure face legal challenges?
Legal challenges are expected. Similar measures in other states have faced lawsuits, and a court case in Washington could test whether the measure conflicts with state or federal law.
Sources
- KNKX: Initiative to ban trans students from girls sports election results
- Kitsap Sun: Washington statewide measures election results
- Education Week: Trump education agenda gets a boost on an otherwise punishing night for the GOP
Final Thoughts
Washington voters have made a clear choice on Washington Initiative 638, and the measure will now move from the ballot to the rulebook. The vote margin was wide, and the result puts Washington with other states that have passed similar limits. What happens next will depend on how schools apply the rule, how the WIAA guides the process, and how the courts respond to expected legal challenges. For families, coaches, and students, the practical details will matter as much as the vote itself. The December 3 effective date gives schools a short window to prepare, and the coming months will show how the new law works in real school sports seasons.
