Petition circulators collect signatures aiming to outlaw foie gras produced via force-feeding in Washington, D.C.
Initiative 86’s proponent, Cady Witt, submits the gathered signatures to the Board of Elections.
With more than 46,000 signatures collected, Initiative 86 secures a spot on the November ballot — the second-highest signature count for any ballot measure in D.C.’s history.
How we treat animals reflects how we treat everyone in our society. I truly believe that we can end the sale of force-fed foie gras here in DC and eventually end this cruel industry in the entire US.”— Cady Witt, Campaign Director, Pro-Animal DCWASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, August 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — On Wednesday, the D.C. Board of Elections confirmed that Initiative 86 has met the requirements to appear on the November 3, 2026 General Election ballot. Should voters approve it, the measure would ban the sale of foie gras derived from force-feeding within the District, with enforcement scheduled to begin July 1, 2027.
The initiative’s backers, Pro-Animal DC, deployed 198 petition gatherers who amassed over 46,000 signatures across a 14-week period. To qualify, the measure needed 23,803 legitimate signatures — equivalent to five percent of the city’s registered voters — and had to satisfy that requirement in at least five of D.C.’s eight wards. Pro-Animal DC exceeded the mark in six wards, and the Board of Elections validated on Wednesday that the petition contained an adequate number of valid signatures.
“We turned in the second most signatures of any ballot initiative behind marijuana in DC history,” said Oye Owolewa, DC Shadow Representative and the current DC Democratic Party candidate for at-large councilmember. “DC residents want a cruelty-free district, making sure that their values align with where they eat.”
According to a recent analysis, D.C. ranks third in foie gras consumption across U.S. cities, trailing only New York City and Las Vegas. The product stirs controversy because its production involves force-feeding ducks and geese until they develop liver disease. A poll of 438 registered D.C. voters revealed 78% support for the measure across all eight wards.
“They force-feed ducks and geese until they get liver disease. It makes it hard for them to breathe and hard for them to walk,” said George Cooper, a volunteer circulator with Pro-Animal DC. “It’s probably one of the cruelest parts of our food system that is still legal in the United States. It has already been outlawed in New York City, California, Portland, Pittsburgh, and I’m very excited to get it on the ballot here in DC”
With Initiative 86 now certified, D.C. joins a growing roster of municipalities taking action against the practice. Denver, Colorado will put a similar measure before voters this November, and Portland, Oregon enacted a comparable law in June.
The signature effort received backing from local officials, including D.C. Ward 8 Commissioner Salim Adofo, who personally gathered 191 signatures. “I want to say thank you to Pro-Animal DC. I want to say thank you to everybody who went out in the hot sun and got signatures, everybody who was out in the rain, everybody who was at the farmers’ markets,” Adofo said. “This is a true representation of what democracy looks like.”
“How we treat animals reflects how we treat everyone in our society, and I truly believe that we can end the sale of force-fed foie gras here in DC and eventually end this cruel industry in the entire United States,” said Cady Witt, Campaign Director of Pro-Animal DC. “There are only two large foie gras factory farms left in the U.S. that force-feed birds and if we work together, I believe we can shut them down.”
Pro-Animal DC is the campaign committee behind Initiative 86 and is a grassroots movement of voters, volunteers, and donors dedicated to passing laws that reflect DC’s values of compassion and humane treatment of animals.
Natalie Fulton
Pro-Animal DC
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