Pro-Animal Colorado, the group behind the campaign, is now pivoting to next April's municipal election, where it plans to support candidates aligned with its animal welfare agenda. The win exceeded expectations for a group that two years ago failed in bids to close Denver's only slaughterhouse and to end fur sales and manufacturing.

"It really represents something much larger, which is the way that animals are treated and our food system, and especially on factory farms," Pro-Animal Colorado spokesperson Dani Withaar said. She credited hundreds of volunteers who educated the public about foie gras production, including campaign signs featuring images of force-fed animals.

Foie gras is available in fewer than 20 local restaurants, a fact that opponents seized on to argue the ban would have minimal practical impact. But the restaurant industry sees the vote as part of a broader pattern of regulation. "This is a slippery slope that opens the door for further product bans and overregulation," said Nick Hoover, government affairs director for the Colorado Restaurant Association, in a statement. An opposition campaign argued the ban eliminates consumer choice and removes a chef's artistic expression.

The Denver result echoes a similar measure in Washington, D.C., where residents appear poised to pass a foie gras ban. In D.C., however, the dish is found in more restaurants, and the ban could face a legal challenge.

For Denver, the vote signals that animal welfare resonates with a broad swath of the electorate, even on an issue affecting a small number of establishments. With the municipal election approaching, Pro-Animal Colorado's newly demonstrated organizing strength could reshape the debate over the city's food and agricultural policies.