For the third time in three years, a petition for expanded alcohol sales is circulating in Boyle County, this time to allow sales throughout the county.
The petition, which began popping up on the counters of several gas stations and convenience stores in the county, asks voters who are not registered in either Danville or Junction City if they favor the sale of alcoholic beverages.
The intent appears to be to legalize the same kinds of alcohol sales now allowed in the incorporated areas of Danville and Junction City for the rest of the county, including Perryville.
Scott Lowry, who co-owns Lowry's Forkland Store, said Tuesday he and other store owners started talking about their options after Junction City voters decided to go wet in October. Lowry said a surprisingly large number of people from Boyle and other counties pass by his and other stores.
Lowry said it would be a boost for businesses like his to have the opportunity to sell alcohol. So far, the response has been big, he said.
According to Steve Humphress, general counsel for the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, if a petition is successful, another special election would have to be called. As with the Danville and Junction City votes, the election could not be held on the same day as a primary or general election.
Humphress said if Boyle County voted down prohibition, all licenses available in Danville, including package liquor, liquor by the drink (bar), restaurant drink and retail beer sales at gas stations that meet certain requirements would be available throughout Boyle County, provided there is an adequate police force.
What isn't known at this point is exactly how many signatures it will take to get the question on the ballot.
It typically takes signatures from 25 percent of the voters from the previous election in the area seeking alcohol sales. However, County Clerk Trille Bottom said she is awaiting confirmation about how to tabulate votes in the county.
If this means 25 percent of all voters not in Danville or Junction City, Bottom said it would likely be necessary to manually go through rosters for several districts split between voters from the county and the two cities that already are wet to determine how many signatures are required.
The petition, which began popping up on the counters of several gas stations and convenience stores in the county, asks voters who are not registered in either Danville or Junction City if they favor the sale of alcoholic beverages.
The intent appears to be to legalize the same kinds of alcohol sales now allowed in the incorporated areas of Danville and Junction City for the rest of the county, including Perryville.
Scott Lowry, who co-owns Lowry's Forkland Store, said Tuesday he and other store owners started talking about their options after Junction City voters decided to go wet in October. Lowry said a surprisingly large number of people from Boyle and other counties pass by his and other stores.
Lowry said it would be a boost for businesses like his to have the opportunity to sell alcohol. So far, the response has been big, he said.
According to Steve Humphress, general counsel for the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, if a petition is successful, another special election would have to be called. As with the Danville and Junction City votes, the election could not be held on the same day as a primary or general election.
Humphress said if Boyle County voted down prohibition, all licenses available in Danville, including package liquor, liquor by the drink (bar), restaurant drink and retail beer sales at gas stations that meet certain requirements would be available throughout Boyle County, provided there is an adequate police force.
What isn't known at this point is exactly how many signatures it will take to get the question on the ballot.
It typically takes signatures from 25 percent of the voters from the previous election in the area seeking alcohol sales. However, County Clerk Trille Bottom said she is awaiting confirmation about how to tabulate votes in the county.
If this means 25 percent of all voters not in Danville or Junction City, Bottom said it would likely be necessary to manually go through rosters for several districts split between voters from the county and the two cities that already are wet to determine how many signatures are required.
