Greenup County has ended a 75-year dry spell. According to Jeremy Bates, head of a group called Greenup County Committee for Economic Development, voters said yes to the sale of alcohol in the county in last Tuesday’s primary election. These are preliminary numbers not yet verified by the Kentucky State Board of Elections on their website. Some of the numbers are pretty tight, too, so it could be subject to change.
Bates led the effort to bring alcohol sales to the county back in 2013. That attempt failed. This time, his group tried a different approach. Instead of a county-wide referendum, they went city by city.
The Results
Greenup
- Ballot Question: Are you in favor of the sale of alcoholic beverages in the City of Greenup?
- Results: 172 For 114 Against
Raceland
- Ballot Question: Are you in favor of alcoholic beverages in the City of Raceland?
- Results: 345 For 294 Against
South Shore:
- Ballot Question: Are you in favor of the sale of alcoholic beverages in the City of South Shore?
- Results: 97 For 80 Against
Hunnewell- River Bend Golf Club
- Ballot Questions: Are you in favor of alcoholic beverages by the drink at the golf course or courses in the Hunnewell precinct?
- Results: 128 For 120 Against
The Changes
The areas that approved alcohol sales are allowed to have restaurants that serve alcohol and stores will also be allowed to sell alcohol. That doesn’t mean restaurants and businesses can suddenly start selling liquor at will. All businesses must apply to the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for a license.
Applicants must be:
- 21 years old
- U.S. Citizens
- A legal resident of Kentucky for at least one year
- No felony convictions within the past 5 years
- No parole or probation in the past 5 years.
- Record free of convictions for controlled substances or alcohol use in the past two years.