You Can Toast to These Votes
Almost all Atlanta-area localities that had it on the ballot approved Sunday package sales of alcohol.
Note: This article originally reported that Forest Park had rejected Sunday alcohol sales, but Clayton County has since announced an error in counting those votes. The article has been updated.
Tuesday was a good day if you think Sunday should be like any other day when it comes to buying alcohol.
Voters in cities and counties across Georgia had their first chance to approve package alcohol sales on Sundays, and almost all of them answered the question with a resounding yes.
The details on when the new Sunday-sales ordinances will go into effect vary greatly. In some cases, cities have waited for the referendum results before picking a date.
In most cases, voters’ support for legalizing Sunday sales between 12:30 and 11:30 p.m. was overwhelming—as high as 91 percent in Decatur.
But there was at least one exception in the Atlanta area: Don’t drive to Palmetto and expect to buy a six-pack on a Sunday.
While other Fulton County cities followed the trend and approved Sunday sales, Palmetto said no, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Originally, Clayton County reported that Forest Park had rejected Sunday sales, but the counting machine messed up, the AJC reported Wednesday. It now appears that the measure won approval from almost 53 percent of the 700 people who voted.
Another Clayton municipality, Lovejoy, had an election on the issue that didn’t count because the city didn’t get Justice Department approval for the ballot measure in time, the Clayton News Daily reported. Those voters will get another shot, possibly in March.
March 6 is when Georgia will hold presidential primaries, and that’s when the next batch of Sunday sales measures will hit the ballot. Marietta, Cobb County and Athens are among the localities that will vote on the issue that day.
Following are the areas covered by Patches that voted on Sunday alcohol sales Tuesday; all of them approved the measure:
- Barrow County, 58 percent yes. This measure covers beer and wine.
- Cherokee County, 68 percent yes.
- Acworth, 73 percent yes.
- Alpharetta, 79 percent yes.
- Atlanta, 82 percent yes. Sales start Jan. 1.
- Auburn, 74.5 percent yes.
- Avondale Estates, 85 percent yes.
- Canton, 71.5 percent yes.
- Cartersville, 59.5 percent yes. Sales will start Dec. 4.
- Dacula, two-thirds yes. This is a beer-and-wine deal, although Dacula also approved Sunday by-the-drink sales in restaurants.
- Decatur, 91 percent yes.
- Duluth, 78 percent yes.
- Dunwoody, 79.5 percent yes. Sales become legal once the election results are certified, so you should be able to buy booze by Nov. 20.
- Grayson, 65 percent yes. It’s just beer, but, thanks to another referendum Tuesday, you’ll be able to buy booze by the drink while eating in Grayson on Sundays.
- Hiram, 55.5 percent yes.
- Holly Springs, 72 percent yes.
- Johns Creek, 79 percent yes.
- Kennesaw, 73 percent yes.
- Lawrenceville, 63 percent yes.
- Lilburn, 64 percent yes.
- Loganville, 64 percent yes. This is for beer. City voters also approved sales of liquor by the drink in restaurants on Sundays.
- Milton, 77 percent yes.
- Norcross, 70 percent yes. It’s worth noting that Norcross has no liquor stores, so this measure applies to beer and wine at grocery and convenience stores.
- Roswell, 81 percent yes.
- Sandy Springs, 85 percent yes. Sales become legal once the election results are certified.
- Smyrna, 76 percent yes. Sales become legal Jan. 1.
- Snellville, 65 percent yes.
- Stone Mountain, 71 percent yes.
- Suwanee, 76 percent yes.
- Villa Rica, 66 percent yes. (No Patch covers Villa Rica, but Douglasville is close and has the results.)
- Winder, 54.5 percent yes.
- Woodstock, 69 percent yes.
Fran Armstrong
10:07 am on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
They spent a lot of time trying to pass this law. Guess people really need their booze on Sundays.
Julia Harris
10:31 am on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
If only we could pass a law to buy Chick-Fil-A on Sunday, lol! (I respect the reasons Chick-Fil-A is closed Sunday, but I sure miss my chicken sandwich).
Frank Jones
12:37 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Truet Cathy should be honored for his conviction to do what is best for his employees. Our representatives should be tarred and feathered for their lack of backbone and failure to simply make the tough choices themselves. Instead, "let the people decide". If that's how they want to work, we don't need them!
Eric Anderson
12:49 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
About time. Drives me nuts that when I make my weekly grocery run on Sunday I have to leave out the wine and then come back on Monday to get wine. Any idea when this goes into affect? Also I am unsure which grocery stores are in the city? I am guessing Target, Walmart and possibly the Ingles on Nebo Rd.?
Katherine M
1:16 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Frank I agree - they should have just passed a statewide law allowing package sales of alcohol 24/7. It's ridiculous to have a hodgepodge of different laws everytime you cross the city limits or a county line. Alcohol is a legal substance so there should be no restrictions.
Patrick Edinger
6:32 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
If you do or do not choose to purchase or consume alchohol on Sundays,it is your choice now,not the governments!!!!!!!!
E M GREEN
7:20 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I have to agree with Edinger...It makes no sense to stop sales on one day to accommodate who or what since drinking certainly took place on Sunday no matter what while others will refuse to touch it on a Sunday. This is one place where Government should not have a say.
Frank Jones
7:39 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
If it's legal, the Government should not impose restrictions. This is true of alcohol, personal relationships, homosexuality, abortion, religion, etc. While I don't condone drunkenness, homosexuality, or abortions, it's not the governments job to tell us when we can do these legal things. Talk about government intrusion into our personal lives.
Richard Nichols
10:00 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I wonder why Douglas County didn't have this question on their ballot considering that so many others did. At least there is a good trend across Georgia to stop this ridiculous infringement on our freedoms. Anything that restricts legal trade these days should be banished. We need all the economic help we can get. Maybe we should banish the sale of automobile and truck tires and condoms on Sunday. Rubber is probably bad for your health.
Sunday Sales
9:11 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
Those in Douglasville and Douglas County interested in seeing this on the ballot can "like" this Facebook page: http://www.Facebook.com/DouglasCoSundaySales