City officials stressed that voters should be aware that the electronic ballots will have both questions (by the drink and by the package) and they should vote yes or no on both questions.
Voting is taking place at the Goodyear Center on Prior Street from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Only city residents who are registered to vote may cast ballots in the referendum.
City Clerk Patti Rowell, who will supervise the election, said she thinks there will be a moderate turnout for the vote today.
The vote will be the first time in more than 30 years city residents have been asked to decide that issue.
On March 7, 1973, city residents rejected the item by a vote of 982 to 819, a difference of 163 votes out of 1,801 votes cast in the referendum
Those figures tabulate to 54.5 percent voting no to 45.5 percent voting yes. That vote took place shortly after the City of Rome approved the sale of liquor by the drink and package in the early 1970s.
This time those who are backing the referendum believe there is more support for the legalized sale of distilled spirits in the city.
The Cedartown Citizens for Tax Relief and Beverage Control have stated they would like to see guidelines placed on the sale of alcoholic beverages by the city commission if the voters pass the issue.
Harold Wyatt Jr., who has acted as a spokesman for the group, said earlier, “We are asking the commission to limit the package stores to no more than four and limit the sale of mixed drinks only in food establishments. We do not want bars in Cedartown,” he said.
Wyatt said there were four principles the Cedartown Citizens for Tax Relief want to establish. “We hope to control the sale of alcoholic beverages in the community, keep the tax revenue at home, attract quality restaurants to the community which could help attract quality industry to the community.”
Although no organized opposition has stepped forward, two letters and two ads opposing the sale have appeared in The Cedartown Standard.
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