Sunday Alcohol Sales Up for Vote in 110 Ga. Cities and Counties

ATLANTA -- The question of whether to allow alcohol sales on Sundays will be widespread in Georgia this election day, as 110 of the state’s cities and counties will put it to a vote, according to an AccessNorthGa report. The Secretary of State's Office listed 98 cities and 12 counties as having the issue on their ballots.

Whatever voters decide, though, it is likely to be calmer than last spring, when Gov. Nathan Deal signed a bill that allows local governments to vote whether or not to allow convenience stores and supermarkets to sell alcohol on Sundays. In many areas, restaurants and bars are already permitted to do so. The issue was hotly debated at the time, but a number of Sunday sales opponents have reported there is little discussion on the matter now.

"I can't get one single church to even insert a memo in their bulletin to bring attention to the vote," said Jerry Luquire, president of the Georgia Christ¬ian Coalition.

"I think that the pastors have just decided to deal with the issue on their own instead of organizing," said Ray Newman, a lobbyist for the Georgia Baptist Con¬vention. "There's not something like an organized thing going on. It's a here-and-there kind of thing."

Even pro-Sunday sales groups have been relatively quiet. Jim Tudor, a lobbyist for the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores, told Savannah Now that active involvement could give the impression that the group favors some c-stores over their competitors in locales where the issue is not up for a vote.

X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds