Politics & Government

Sunday Alcohol Sales: Cheers!

In today's election, Cobb County residents voted in favor of Sunday alcohol sales by a landslide.

No shocker here.

Unincorporated  has given its nod to Sunday sales of alcohol.

The county follows various cities and other jurisdictions throughout the state that have done so. The state legislature passed a law last year that allowed cities and counties the right to make their own call on the issue.

Find out what's happening in Mariettawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Other cities in Cobb that had the issue up for a vote were , and . See results below and click on each city for details. 

Other cities—KennesawAcworth, Smyrna (click one for details)—passed the measure in November 2011.

Find out what's happening in Mariettawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Those in favor of Sunday alcohol sales pointed to the fact that with all of the other surrounding areas now having Sunday sales, it was only fair.

Sunday Sales Referendums

Jurisdiction Precincts Choices Votes % Unincorporated Cobb 118 Yes 54,314 69.77% of 118 No 23,534 30.23% Marietta 12 Yes 4,983 70.99% of 12 No 1,645 29.01% Powder Springs 3 Yes 986 61.97% of 3 No 605 38.03% Austell 1 Yes 260 59.23% of 1 No 179

40.77%

 

"I think it's important for businesses in the Cobb County area to be able to sell alcohol on Sunday," said Randy Cope who was voting at Cumberland United Methodist Church in Vinings Tuesday. "It's one of the main reasons I came to vote today."

Others just saw it as the practical way to go.

"It makes no sense. You can go to a restaurant and drink all you want to and then drive home," said Richard Shore of "But you can't go to the store and take it home."

Those against the measure pointed to problems with alcohol and to the religious aspect of having alcohol sold on Sunday.

"I think the Sabbath should be revered. You know, you got six days you can buy alcohol. Give it a break a day," said Eddie Alexander a Mableton resident who voted no.

In Powder Springs, 64-year-old resident Roger Boe expressed his opposition before the City Council there sent the option to voters.

"It is tragic evidence that the state of Georgia is in a deplorable decline when so many of its citizens find it viable that they have an extra day to purchase alcoholic beverages," he said. "Six days should be more than enough to purchase the poison of alcohol."

Boe noted several negative effects, including women drinking before they realize they're pregnant, car accidents, and cancer.

"Statistics will go up. Someone will die. And more tragic results will happen," he said.

But if Cobb business follows what others have seen so far, sales of booze won’t change much.

“We’re not really seeing any increase in sales,” said Ron Wikle, co-owner of in Holly Springs. “The sales we normally would do on Saturday night we do on Sunday.”

Basically, Uncle Jack’s is it used to make in six days. But Wikle said the store can’t risk closing on Sunday and seeing some of those sales go somewhere else that is open.

Convenience stores and grocery stores, already open seven days a week, don’t have to account for additional overhead, and Zahid Riqbal of said the Canton store is seeing more Sunday customers now.

A spokeswoman, however, said sales in Canton are following the same pattern Uncle Jack’s is seeing: the same total spread over seven days instead of six.


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