Support trends for Colorado’s ballot measures protecting girls’ sports, children as results remain unofficial

Colorado’s ballot measures protecting girls’ sports and prohibiting sex-rejecting surgeries for minors are seeing narrow leads with more than 70% of precincts reporting, as of early Nov. 4. 

At the time of publication, Ballotpedia reported that 52.04% (1,067,882) voted in favor of Colorado Proposition 134, the Protect Women and Girls Sports Act, with 76% of precincts reporting. The proposition would require student athletes to participate on men or women’s school and collegiate athletic teams according to their biological sex. 

Jennifer Sey, chair of the campaign supporting Proposition 134 and founder of XX-XY Athletics, expressed cautious optimism in a statement late Nov. 3 as vote counting continued. 

“I am cautiously optimistic that in a deep blue state, with a deep blue election wave, the voters will have said ‘protect girls’ sports’ when all votes are counted,” Sey said in an emailed press release. “Proposition 134 asked Colorado voters a simple question: Should girls’ sports be reserved for girls?” 

“For years, that question was answered for everyday people by backroom cowards who never asked actual voters what they want for their daughters,” she continued. “They ignored common sense in favor of an ideology that dictates that men can be women if they just say so. No one ever voted for this.”

Sey added that “now, it looks like Coloradans will have changed that in one of the bluest states in the country. Real people brought this measure to the ballot through a citizen initiative, and voters got to decide for themselves.”

She stressed that the issue was never partisan but, rather, a matter of common sense.

“Basic truth and biological reality don’t have a party,” she said. “This was always about right vs wrong, not right vs left. My fondest hope is that now, this gives other Democratic states the courage to do the same and pass legislation to protect girls sports.”

Meanwhile, Proposition 135, the Prohibit Surgeries for Treatment in Response to Minors' Perception of Sex or Gender Measure, was leading with 51.50% in favor and 77% of precincts reporting as of 1:37 a.m. ET on Ballotpedia. The measure would prohibit physicians from performing sex-rejecting surgeries on minors and “prohibit use of state or federal funds, Medicaid reimbursements, or insurance coverage to pay for such procedures,” according to Ballotpedia. 

Finally, Proposition 133, the Require Life in Prison for Human Trafficking of Minors Measure, was on track to pass with 61.51% in favor and 76% of precincts reporting.