Petitions circulating to place liquor vote on Nov. 6 ballot in Charlotte again

Petitions are again circulating in Charlotte to put a retail liquor referendum on the November ballot. An identical measure failed by just seven votes in 2010. Proponents have until Sept. 7 to turn in petitions to put the question on the ballot Nov. 6 for residents and property owners inside the Charlotte town limits. The referendum is to allow retail, or package, liquor stores only and does not include liquor by the drink. In a close vote that wasn’t decided until absentee ballots were counted after midnight two years ago, Charlotte voters rejected a package liquor referendum 169-162. Proponents have said retail liquor stores will produce more revenue for the town. Petitions are located in several businesses in Charlotte and in Town Hall where Jennifer Carlew said supporters are continuing to collect signatures even though they already have more than the minimum required to get on the ballot. Election Administrator Linda Medley said to get a referendum on the ballot the petitions must have a number of qualified signatures equal to 10 percent of the Charlotte voters who cast ballots in the last gubernatorial election. With 359 votes cast in the governor’s race two years ago, the petitions need only 36 signatures of qualified voters to get the referendum on the ballot. The referendum will be on the ballot Nov. 6 only for qualified residents and non-resident property owners in the town of Charlotte.