Skip to main content
Independent and nonpartisan. SaveYourState is a civic information resource. It is not a government website and is not affiliated with any government agency, party, or campaign.

Nebraska · November 3, 2026 general election · Statewide ballot measure

Initiative Measure 442: what your vote means

School athletic teams designated by biological sex. On every Nebraska ballot. Official sources checked October 26, 2026.

Initiative Measure 442 · Citizen-initiated constitutional amendment

School athletic teams designated by biological sex

Official ballot title (quoted exactly)

Shall the Nebraska Constitution be amended to provide: (1) Schools must expressly designate each athletic team or sport as one of the following based on biological sex: (a) Males, men, or boys; (b) females, women, or girls; or (c) coed or mixed; and (2) Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex? The amendment would apply to all athletic teams or sports sponsored by public schools or postsecondary educational institutions, and private schools or educational institutions whose athletic teams or sports compete against public schools or institutions.

Ballot question as printed in the Nebraska Secretary of State’s 2026 Informational Pamphlet on Initiative Measures.

A YES vote means:

Schools would have to designate each athletic team as male, female, or coed based on biological sex, and teams for females could not be open to male students.

A NO vote means:

The Nebraska Constitution would not be amended in this manner.

What it would change

  • Who is affected: students and athletes at public schools, colleges, and universities, and private schools that compete against them.
  • Designations: males, men, or boys; females, women, or girls; or coed or mixed.
  • Fiscal impact: No official fiscal impact statement is published in the Secretary of State’s informational pamphlet for this measure.

Official arguments, summarized

Short neutral summaries of the arguments printed in the official voters’ pamphlet. The committees that wrote them are responsible for their content. Read the full text at the link below.

Argument for

Supporters say it ensures girls do not compete against biological males, citing safety and lost scholarships, medals, or rankings.

Argument against

Opponents say it is unnecessary, raises privacy concerns by effectively requiring sex verification only for girls, and could subject all girls to greater scrutiny.

Arguments for and against Initiative Measure 442, Informational Pamphlet (PDF, p. 22)

Who supports it and who opposes it

These lists come from official campaign filings (registered committees) and public endorsements, each linked to its source. They are not complete, and SaveYourState does not endorse anyone listed. Lists checked October 30, 2026.

Who supports it

Who opposes it

Official sources

SaveYourState is independent and nonpartisan, not a government site, and does not take positions on ballot measures. This explainer describes effects only, using the official ballot title, explanatory statement, full text, and fiscal impact statement. If anything here differs from those documents, the official documents control.