Story perspectives

Maine Rejects Trans Sports Petition, 12 000 Signatures Tossed

5/22/2026

Summary

Story summary

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows' office recommended rejecting the transgender-sports referendum because it missed signature threshold.
Officials invalidated over 12,000 signatures, leaving the petition 532 short of the 67,682 required.
Deputy Secretary Kate McBrien said unattended forms, unwitnessed signatures and a forged signature caused the invalidations.
Republican donor Richard Uihlein gave $800,000 to the effort, while EqualityMaine and the Maine Women’s Lobby said out-of-state paid circulators broke state rules.

1 of 1

Story summary

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows' office recommended rejecting the transgender-sports referendum because it missed signature threshold.
Officials invalidated over 12,000 signatures, leaving the petition 532 short of the 67,682 required.
Deputy Secretary Kate McBrien said unattended forms, unwitnessed signatures and a forged signature caused the invalidations.
Republican donor Richard Uihlein gave $800,000 to the effort, while EqualityMaine and the Maine Women’s Lobby said out-of-state paid circulators broke state rules.