Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), also known as the PEACE Act (People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions), has officially failed to qualify for the 2026 November ballot.
The final verification numbers from the Oregon Secretary of State have been released, and they expose a massive failure by the radical animal-rights extremists. While they submitted to the state more than the minimum number of raw signatures, their paid signature gatherers failed miserably at capturing valid registered voters to get IP28 on the ballot.
When the state scrutinized the petitions, the house of cards collapsed:
• Total Signatures Submitted: 142,784
• Minimum Valid Signatures Needed: 117,173
• Actual Valid Signatures Verified: Only 104,262
• The Disqualification: The measure failed state verification checks because 38,522 signatures were tossed out as duplicative, unregistered, or entirely fraudulent.
What Was Just Stopped
Make no mistake: this was a well-funded, existential assault on our outdoor heritage. Had IP28 made the ballot and passed, it would have criminalized hunting, fishing, and trapping across Oregon, while simultaneously outlawing standard animal husbandry practices for our state’s farmers and ranchers.
The Threat is Already Returning
While we celebrate this victory, we cannot afford to fall into complacency. The animal-rights extremists backing this ban have no intention of slinking away.
Immediately following the July 24 announcement, lead sponsor David Michelson made it clear that they view this failure merely as a training exercise for the next election cycle, stating:
“As long as animals are being killed, there will be a movement of people wanting to protect them… If our campaign continues to grow, as it has since 2020, then such a vote may come to fruition in a future election cycle.”
This is their third attempt to ban our lifestyle (following IP13 and IP3). Every time they return, heavy out-of-state funding allows them to creep closer to the ballot threshold. They are treating this signature failure not as a defeat, but as a stepping stone.
Stay on the Front Lines
This victory belongs to you, the sportsmen and sportswomen who refuse to let radical activists dictate our state’s wildlife policy. But as the lead sponsor openly admits, the next fight is already being planned.
The animal extremists are using out-of-state money to play the long game. We can only defeat them if we are organized, funded, and ready. The Sportsmen’s Alliance will continue to track every legal filing, monitor their fundraising, and build the unbreakable coalition needed to kill this bill permanently.
We won this battle, but we cannot afford to step aside and celebrate. Now is the time to stand firm. We must show the opposition that we will never stand idle while they try to force their radical agenda on our families. To secure our future, we must draw the line right here, right now.
Animal-rights extremists are never going to stop pushing their ideals on us! The Sportsmen’s Alliance is here for the long haul. Are you?
Join the Sportsmen’s Alliance Today to Stand for the Long Haul!
The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing, and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler, and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square, and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions.
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