Washington state votes to keep boys out of girls’ sports as Dems threaten court challenge

The tally accompanying the projection showed 1,252,863 yes votes, or 56.6 percent, against 961,810 no votes, or 43.4 percent. Only four of Washington’s 39 counties, King, Jefferson, San Juan and Whatcom, had majority opposition in the reported returns.

I-638 would prohibit biological males from competing in designated female K–12 athletic activities and require healthcare providers to verify biological sex. The Legislature declined to act on the initiative during its 2026 session, sending the proposal to voters.

Washington Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad is planning a court challenge, setting up another fight over the measure after voters backed it statewide.

Conrad told KUOW she plans to fight the measure in court and work to overturn it if it passes.

“Washington state now has one of the worst anti-LGBT, anti-trans initiatives, truly, in the entire country,” Conrad said. “It’s so horrific that people wouldn’t allow themselves to really grasp how real this is.”

Conrad acknowledged Democrats could have done more to oppose the initiative. KUOW noted that a party spokesperson had said the previous month that Democrats were focusing more heavily on other ballot measures.

That prospect of a court challenge was precisely what Let’s Go Washington founder Brian Heywood anticipated when he spoke with KVI at the organization’s election-night party Tuesday.

“I would expect what I really expect from Chris Reykdal is to follow the frickin’ law,” Heywood said, directing his message at Washington’s superintendent of public instruction.

Heywood also called on Attorney General Nick Brown to defend the initiative and Gov. Bob Ferguson to respect the voters’ decision.

Asked whether he expected Reykdal, Ferguson or others to challenge the measure, Heywood predicted litigation.

“Yeah, I think that they'll let their handmaiden Pacifica Law or some law firm do the challenge,” he said.

For Heywood, the election-night celebration centered on the teenage girls who had spent years advocating for protections in female sports.

“In some ways this is probably the most important one in my mind because it's giving a voice to those that felt like they didn't have a voice,” he said.

Heywood pointed to teen athlete Francis Staudt, who could be heard speaking emotionally nearby, and described her fight beginning around age 15.

“It's been a fight that she's been in,” he said, recalling a period “when adults were leaving her sort of high and dry.”

The election followed weeks of protests involving Washington girls’ cross-country runners. Nearly half the Camas High School girls’ team walked away from the starting line October 13 rather than compete against a male teammate. Athletes from Camas, Skyview and Battle Ground later participated in the “Camas Courage” rally supporting female sports and I-638.

Asked whether the initiative’s lead gave him hope for Washington despite other election results, Heywood said it did.

He said support in Washington and other states “begins to put a nail in the coffin of this really terrible idea that boys should be allowed into girls spaces.”

The celebration came amid disappointing returns for Let’s Go Washington’s other statewide measures. Tuesday-night results showed approximately 58 percent opposing I-645, which would repeal the tax on household income above $1 million, and approximately 53 percent opposing I-001, which would restore parental-rights protections lawmakers rolled back in 2025.

Heywood directed his criticism of the income tax at Ferguson.

“I'm gonna stay here and make sure that everybody knows that this is Bob Ferguson's income tax,” he said.

“This is Bob Ferguson's moving vans going out of the state,” Heywood continued. “This is Bob Ferguson's economy now.”

Asked whether he would join people considering leaving Washington, Heywood made clear he intended to remain engaged.

“I'm not leaving tomorrow.”