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Judge Upholds Block of 2026 Protect Girls Sports Referendum

6/12/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Judge Deborah Cashman upheld Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ block of the Protect Girls Sports referendum for Nov 2026 ballot.
The petition fell 532 short of the 67,682 required after the court rejected nearly 4,000 signatures collected via sheets, false entries and out-of-state circulators lacking jurisdiction forms.
Protect Girls Sports will appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, with a ruling due by Aug. 1 for ballot printing.

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Story summary

Judge Deborah Cashman upheld Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ block of the Protect Girls Sports referendum for Nov 2026 ballot.
The petition fell 532 short of the 67,682 required after the court rejected nearly 4,000 signatures collected via sheets, false entries and out-of-state circulators lacking jurisdiction forms.
Protect Girls Sports will appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, with a ruling due by Aug. 1 for ballot printing.