PORTLAND (WGME) – The Maine Supreme Court has affirmed Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ decision to invalidate a petition to restrict transgender students in sports.
The group Protect Girls Sports in Maine was behind a question asking voters if they want to ban transgender athletes from competing on teams other than their birth sex.
Bellows says an investigation found the petition did not have enough signatures.
She says she found paid out-of-state circulators forged signatures and left petitions unattended.
Last month, a Cumberland County judge upheld Bellows’ decision.
Friday, the Maine Supreme Court affirmed that decision.
A spokeswoman for Protect Girls Sports in Maine says they’ve also filed in district court.
“Citizen initiatives are a powerful tool of direct democracy in our state, and Maine voters should have just as much confidence in petition integrity as they do in the security of our elections. This petition did not meet the legal requirements for inclusion and therefore did not qualify for the ballot after our legal review. I am grateful but not surprised by the court’s ruling affirming our decision,” Bellows said.
