Hackleburg’s wet/dry vote is next Tuesday, April 22

HACKLEBURG — Eligible residents wishing to continue to have no alcohol sales in the Town of Hackleburg should make sure to visit the polls to vote on Tuesday, April 22.
Those wishing to legalize alcohol sales in the corporate limits of the town should also appear to cast their vote in favor of the matter.
The people will decide. The town has no authority in a wet/dry vote, nor do town officials. According to law, a petition must be presented to the town with signatures of at least 30 percent of those eligible to vote based on numbers from the last municipal election.
A petition meeting these requirements has been presented, and the Town of Hackleburg has also fulfilled its obligation of publicizing the election three weeks prior to the vote date.
The wet/dry voting will be held at the Hackleburg Senior Citizen Building from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
At this time, only municipalities of 1,000 or more in population have the authority to hold such wet/dry elections.
Wet/dry elections have also been held in Hamilton, Winfield and Guin. Residents in the cities of Hamilton and Winfield first had a majority “no” vote. Guin was the first municipality in the county to have residents vote “yes” and approve alcohol sales. After waiting the required 720 days or nearly two years, both Hamilton and Winfield held another vote, with this time the majority of voters being in favor of local alcohol sales.
The cities approved for sales all created ordinances governing their city’s alcohol sales, as well as determined where the funds from the sales would go--into general funds or special school funds.
If alcohol sales are approved in Hackleburg, town officials would then become involved in creating local ordinances and determining where the extra tax funds could be spent.
Hackleburg Mayor Darryl Colburn has noted this is the second time a petition was submitted to the town to be certified. The first petition held the names of some residents not residing inside the town limits, as well as some duplicate names.
He has noted the people of Hackleburg will determine the outcome of this election, with the town then honoring the decision of the people.