Oregon Disqualifies Animal Cruelty Initiative for November Ballot

The Oregon Secretary of State's Elections Division disqualified Initiative Petition 28, also known as the People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions Act, after it failed to meet the required signature threshold for the November 3, 2026, ballot. The measure would have removed legal exemptions from state animal cruelty laws, effectively criminalizing hunting, fishing, trapping, ranching, and pest control.

Election officials determined that the initiative gathered only 104,262 valid signatures, falling short of the 117,173 required. While organizers submitted more than 142,000 signatures, two rounds of verification reduced the final count. Governor Tina Kotek expressed relief at the outcome, stating that criminalizing such activities is wrong for the state.

Opponents, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation, described the proposal as a radical plan that would have destroyed rural communities and the outdoor economy. Supporters of the measure argued that any intentional injury to an animal, including agricultural activities for food, should be illegal.

With the failure of IP 28, Oregon will have no initiative measures on its November 2026 general election ballot for the first time since 1966. Of the 88 potential initiatives filed with the state, IP 28 was the only proposal that nearly qualified, reflecting a long-term decline in the use of the state's initiative process following reforms in 2002 and 2008.