Washington voters approve foie gras sales ban with about 73% support in midterm ballot

The vote

Voters in Washington cast ballots on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, in the US midterm elections, choosing a new mayor. They also decided Initiative 86, a referendum against force-feeding geese and against the distribution of foie gras, backed by the group Pro Animal DC. The measure won about 73% of the vote, and one report gives the exact share as 73.3%. Denver, Colorado, passed a similar measure, Initiated Ordinance 311, with 66.22% in favour according to Ballotpedia, while another report puts the figure at 66.55%.

What the measure does

The Washington initiative bans force-feeding birds to enlarge their livers beyond normal size. It also bans selling and distributing products made that way, foie gras included. Restaurants and shops that break the rule face fines of 1,000 to 5,000 dollars and possible suspension of their licence, and repeat offences can lead to revocation of a commercial licence. Restaurateurs and butchers opposed the proposal before the vote. The city has no foie gras farms, as the two main US commercial producers are located in New York state.

Timing and legal challenges

The ban is expected to take effect in summer 2027. US media cited by EFE give 1 July 2027 as the start date for Washington, and the same date is reported for Denver, provided the remaining institutional steps are completed. Producers and restaurant owners reportedly plan to challenge the Washington ban in court.

Other places that restrict foie gras

According to AFP, California, Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and Portland in Oregon have already banned the distribution of foie gras. Notícias ao Minuto reports that California enacted a similar ban in 2012, although the Los Angeles Times found the product still available in some shops. New York City banned sales and distribution in 2019, but the rule has not been enforced because of lengthy court disputes. Switzerland has banned production for more than 40 years, and Swiss voters will decide in February 2027 on an initiative that would also ban imports, including for private individuals.

The producers' view

Jordan Grinor, director of Hudson Valley Farms, one of the two main commercial foie gras producers in the country, told AFP in September that the debate is about whether governments should decide what people may eat. Separately, Idaho voters picked a state symbol from six historic firearms in a non-binding vote. The Winchester Model 1873 led with 31.1% and the Winchester Model 1894 followed with 25.3% in the provisional count, and the final choice still has to pass the state legislature.