Alcohol sales questions pass in Coweta, Grantville
By JOHN A. WINTERSjohn@newnan.com
Coweta County residents overwhelming approved Sunday alcohol sales — both package and by the drink — by a two-to-one margin in unofficial returns Tuesday night.
Likewise, all three liquor-related questions in Grantville passed with about 53 percent approval. Overall, the Grantville measures passed by 15 votes out of 227 votes cast.
With all 28 precincts reporting, the vote was 12,235 to 7,307 in favor of Sunday alcohol by the drink sales in restaurants. That’s equal to almost 63 percent in favor. There were 3,150 votes cast in advance, with almost half in favor of the measure.
The package sales question had nearly identical results.
There were 12,215 votes in favor and 7,275 against the Sunday package sales measure, or about 63 percent in favor. There were 3,152 votes cast in advance, also with almost half in favor.
The outcome seemed almost a foregone conclusion, as the measure earlier passed in several Coweta cities and there appeared to be little vocal opposition for the unincorporated areas being considered this election.
Grantville residents actually had three separate votes: Sunday alcohol sales by the drink; Sunday package sales; and liquor sales by the drink.
The Grantville Sunday alcohol sales by the drink and Sunday package sales measures both passed on a 121-106 vote.
The liquor by the drink issue, which would allow on-premise sales of distilled spirits Monday through Saturday, passed 121 to 107.
Grantville Major Jim Sells said he didn’t have an opinion about the Sunday sales issues.
“But I’m glad the liquor by the drink passed,” he said. “We have a new restaurant opening and it will help them and help bring in new business.”
Newnan, Senoia and Palmetto voted on Sunday sales last November. The measure passed overwhelmingly in Newnan and Senoia, but failed in Palmetto. Sharpsburg and Haralson approved Sunday sales in March.
In 2011, the Georgia General Assembly passed a law allowing Sunday package sales if local voters approved the sales.
