DC foie gras ban measure qualifies for November ballot

District voters will decide in November whether to ban the sale of foie gras produced through force-feeding, after Initiative 86 cleared the signature threshold to reach the ballot. The measure would take effect July 1, 2027 if approved and comes as other U.S. cities and states move to restrict the practice.

Why it matters: - Initiative 86 would make the District the next jurisdiction to ban the sale of foie gras made through force-feeding. - The measure could take effect July 1, 2027 if voters approve it on Nov. 3, 2026. - Animal-welfare advocates say the vote could add momentum to broader efforts to restrict the industry nationwide.

What happened: - The DC Board of Elections certified Initiative 86 for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election ballot. - Pro-Animal DC said it collected more than 46,000 signatures over 14 weeks with 198 petition circulators. - The initiative needed 23,803 valid signatures, equal to 5% of District registered voters, and support from at least five of the city’s eight wards. - Pro-Animal DC cleared the threshold in six of eight wards. - The Board of Elections said Wednesday that the petition contained enough valid signatures.

The details: - The proposal would prohibit the sale of foie gras produced through force-feeding in Washington, DC. - A recent report ranked DC as the third-highest foie gras-consuming city in the U.S., behind New York City and Las Vegas. - A survey of 438 registered DC voters found 78% support for the measure across all eight wards. - Supporters said the practice forces ducks and geese to develop liver disease and creates severe suffering. - DC Shadow Representative Oye Owolewa said the campaign turned in the second-most signatures of any ballot initiative in DC history, behind marijuana. - DC Ward 8 Commissioner Salim Adofo personally collected 191 signatures. - Adofo called the campaign a reflection of democracy and thanked volunteers who gathered signatures in heat, rain and at farmers’ markets. - Campaign Director Cady Witt said the campaign aims to end the sale of force-fed foie gras in DC and eventually end the industry in the U.S. - Witt said only two large foie gras factory farms remain in the U.S. that force-feed birds. - Pro-Animal DC describes itself as a grassroots campaign of voters, volunteers and donors focused on humane treatment of animals. - The campaign’s contact information and social media included more information.

Between the lines: - The signature total suggests the campaign built enough organized support to clear a high local ballot-access bar. - The measure arrives as similar fights continue elsewhere, with Denver set to vote on a comparable initiative this November and Portland having passed a similar bill in June. - Public backing appears strong, but ballot measures can still turn on turnout, competing messaging and whether voters see the ban as an animal-welfare issue or a consumer-choice issue.

What's next: - DC voters will decide Initiative 86 on Nov. 3, 2026. - If approved, the sale ban would start July 1, 2027. - A yes vote would place Washington, DC among the jurisdictions that have already restricted or banned the sale of foie gras produced by force-feeding. - The campaign is likely to continue organizing as the November election approaches.