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Update: Alcohol Vote Challenged

In the March 6 primary only those in unincorporated Cobb County voted on a Sunday alcohol referendum.

 

Updated 4 p.m.

Cobb County's Sunday alcohol sales vote is being taken to court.

Marietta lawyer Justin O'Dell of Cauthron, Nohr & O’Dell filed a petition in Cobb County Superior Court today to ask for a revote that includes the residents of the county's six cities as well as those who live in unincorporated areas, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Asked about the county's response, Cobb government spokesman Robert Quigley emailed: "The county will be in court and will provide information to the judge as to what our opinion was based on."

County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tim Lee acknowledged to the AJC and the MDJ that excluding city residents was a mistake.

If a judge agrees, O'Dell said, the only option is to throw out the March 6 vote and hold another election, the AJC reported.

What's the point of voting again? Is the principle worth it? Tell us in the comment space below.

The first opportunity to revote would be the July 31 election, which will include a referendum on a regional transportation sales tax and primaries for state and county offices. As with the March 6 vote, the county would avoid the additional expense of a special election by piggybacking on an existing election.

Original Report

The Sunday alcohol referendom that passed earlier this month in Cobb County may have hit a snag.

In the March 6 primary only those in unincorporated Cobb County voted on a the referendum. Some are questioning whether residents in Cobb's six cities should have been able to vote on it as well.

In Cherokee County, all residents, cities included, voted in November to allow Sunday sales, even though Woodstock, Holly Springs and Canton had separate city-only referendums at the same time.

Kennesaw Mayor Mark Maththews told The Marietta Daily Journal he was surprised when he went to vote to find that he didn't get to vote on the county referendum.

All six cities in Cobb County have passed their own Sunday sales referendums but should have been allowed a say in the countywide vote, Mathews said.

The chairman of the county commissioners, Tim Lee, said the county got bad information on the process from the county attorney.

Justin O’Dell with the Marietta law firm Cauthron, Nohr & O’Dell told the MDJ he intends to file a petition for a new election on behalf of former state Rep. Roger Hines of Kennesaw.

The deadline for such a suit is today.

Lee said if someone files suit today and a judge agrees on a new election, he could put the question on the July 31 ballot.

Related Topics: Mark Mathews, Tim Lee, participate 2012, and sunday sales

Bill Stockstill

12:04 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012

Going back and checking, all the cities voted yes already on Sunday sales. SO WHAT IS THE ISSUE? They didn't have a say in the county vote? So what? The county has 5 times the number of residents as the cities so most likely even if they voted no, it would have no effect with the outcome. Why waste time, effort and money on something that more than one election has voted yes on? I'm not sure why city residents should be worried about what happens in the county anyway.

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Michael Jacobs

3:28 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012

Hi, Bill: You ask a lot of good questions. I don't think anyone expects a different result if we vote again. The argument has to do with voting rights and procedure, but the ultimate outcome—alcohol being sold on Sundays—isn't in doubt.

Debbi Brooks

4:42 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012

I agree with you Michael. If you live in a county/state that is "affected" by a law, regardless of what law it is, the resident is ENTITLED to vote.

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Jeanne Kostiuk

10:36 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012

I agree with Bill. What is the Problem ? The bill passed. So there was an error in procedure. Have we NOT learned from it ?? Will we check procedures more thoroughly next time ? Let's finally use what seems to be lost - - - COMMON SENSE and not be nitpickers and spend what money we don't have on such a redundant issue. The majority in all areas voted to pass it. Come on, be real.

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Crespen

3:38 am on Sunday, March 18, 2012

If unincorporated Cobb voted for sales in unincorporated Cobb who exactly is being left out? Who is having their rights trampled on?

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Michael Jacobs

3:00 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012

I'm not taking sides on this, but the legal theory is that the city residents are also residents and taxpayers of Cobb County and thus should have a say in county referendums that establish county laws.

Bill Stockstill

7:48 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012

This issue goes both ways because the residents of the county pay for some services that cities residents benefit. Its not like the taxes collected by those 6 cities pays entirely for all the local government services they receive. So shouldn't county residents have a say in what happens in the cities? Unincorporated county residents weren't part of the earlier vote of the cities on Sunday sales. If county SPLOST receipts are effect by the sale of alcohol in the cities, then unincorporated residents should have a say in any sales in the incorporated cities.

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