Massachusetts ballot Question 3, which would keep the law that forbids discrimination based on gender identity in places of public accommodation, passed by a clear margin Tuesday night. Final numbers had yet to be reported.

A yes vote on Question 3 preserves the current form of Massachusetts' anti-discrimination law, which prohibits discrimination in public accommodations on the basis of gender identity, race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, disability, and ancestry.

A no vote would have stripped residents of the protections afforded by the 2016 anti-discrimination law signed by Gov. Charlie Baker. This law requires any public places, like bathrooms, that have separate areas for men and women, allow people to use spaces that are consistent with their gender identity.

This ballot question drew national attention because Massachusetts is the first state to put a referendum on transgender rights on the ballot. Actress Laverne Cox made an appearance in support of the measure last week.

"By winning the first statewide popular vote on transgender rights, Massachusetts voters reaffirmed our Commonwealth as a place that fiercely defends our basic values of dignity and respect for everyone," Carol Rose the executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts said in a statement. "When Massachusetts leads on equality, the nation watches - and often, it follows. Tonight, we sent a message not just to transgender people and their families and friends here in Massachusetts, but to the entire country. At a time when transgender rights are being threatened nationally, we absolutely must preserve the rights we have secured at the state level."

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