Ellijay residents will be able to vote on whether or not to allow package sales of distilled spirits within the city limits.
The Ellijay City Council approved a resolution to initiate a voter referendum on that topic during a Monday, July 19, meeting.
The Georgia General Assembly recently made changes to a state law that allows a municipality’s governing authority to put the question of whether or not to issue licenses for liquor package sales on an election ballot.
Previously, 35 percent of registered voters had to sign a petition to get packaged liquor sales on a ballot, but Georgia Senate Bill 145, passed into law in May, allows cities and counties to go ahead and make it a ballot item by passing a resolution or ordinance.
“The citizens still make the decision. It’s still in the hands of the citizens whether it passes or not,” said Mayor Al Hoyle.
Licensed downtown Ellijay restaurants can serve liquor by the drink, but packaged liquor is not currently sold in the city, only in East Ellijay, Hoyle noted.
“Beer and wine is legal, but packaged liquor has never been voted in in the City of Ellijay,” he added.
It hasn’t been determined when the ballot question -— “Shall the issuance of licenses for the package sale of distilled spirits be approved?” -— will be voted on.
Hoyle said it will be done by holding a special election. No date has been scheduled.