By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
Voters in Robbins and Snow Hill narrowly defeated mixed drink referendums on Tuesday, while 10 other municipalities opened the doors to initial or increased alcohol sales.
More than 7,000 North Carolinians cast ballots on the alcohol issues according to the N.C. Board of Elections. Those in Hendersonville and Elon most readily embraced the sales with some 78 percent of Hendersonville voters approving malt beverage and wine sales and 75 percent of those in Elon saying yes to liquor by the drink.
It was roughly a 60-40 split in favor of mixed beverages in Stanley, Black Mountain, Liberty, La Grange and in Hoffman, where voters also approved unfortified wine sales by 55 to 45 percent.
Similarly Fallston voted 54 to 46 percent for malt beverage sales and 55 to 45 percent for on- and off-premise sales of unfortified wine.
Polkville voters also welcomed malt beverage and wine sales by a margin of 63 percent to 37 percent, as did those in Stanley, at 60-40.
The vote was closer in Boonville. Mixed beverages were approved at 52 percent; and malt beverages at 56 percent.
“Though most of these results are disappointing, we are certainly glad to see Snow Hill and Robbins successfully hold off alcohol forces,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “It can be done.”
Snow Hill, the county seat of Greene County in Eastern North Carolina, rejected a similar alcohol referendum in 2007. Most voters in the Moore County town of Robbins apparently want to keep mixed drink sales some 12 miles away in Carthage.
