Four times a year, participating restaurants across DC host Initiative Week — a seasonal civic event where residents can review, discuss, and sign active ballot initiatives over dinner.
Be the first to knowIn Washington, DC, ballot initiative and nominating petition signatures must be personally witnessed by a qualified petition circulator. That requirement protects the integrity of direct democracy — and it should.
But the process of signing often feels rushed, transactional, or disconnected from real conversation. Many people support initiatives in theory but never encounter them at the right moment, in the right setting.
Initiative Week creates that moment. Four times a year, participating restaurants host trained, qualified circulators during designated windows. Residents can gather with friends, review active initiatives, and — if they choose — sign them properly and in compliance with DC law.
No pressure. No confrontation. Just access — embedded in the spaces where community already happens.
Initiative Week does not endorse, rank, or filter ballot initiatives. It lists qualifying initiatives and shows where each is available. Restaurants choose which circulators to host. Campaigns provide their own circulators.
The celebration is participation itself — not any particular outcome.
Visit the Initiative Week site to see participating restaurants, available initiatives, dates, and times. Reserve a table for your group.
At dinner, review active ballot initiatives on your phone. Talk with your table. Decide what matters to you. Signing is entirely optional.
A qualified circulator at your table authenticates and witnesses your signature — in person, properly, and in compliance with DC election law.
Whether you're a restaurant, a circulator, or a resident who wants civic participation to feel less abstract — we'd like to hear from you.
No spam. No voter profiling. Just updates on Initiative Week.
We'll reach out before the first Initiative Week with details on dates, participating restaurants, and how to get involved.