Duluth to Place Sunday Liquor Sales on Ballot

It's official. The Duluth City Council voted Monday (July 11) to place a referendum on Sunday liquor sales on the November 8 ballot. A municipal election is also scheduled on that date.

The city council had informally agreed at its April 25 work session to place the referendum on the city ballot if Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed Senate Bill 10 into law, and the governor did so. The law becomes effective July 1. Monday night's 4-0 council vote officially puts the issue before voters. (Councilwoman Marsha Bomar was absent from the meeting.)

If approved by a majority vote, the referendum would authorize retailers in counties and cities that already allow package sales of beer, wine and distilled spirits to sell alcoholic beverages from 12:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Sundays.

The mayoral and two city council posts also will be on the ballot. Incumbents are Mayor Nancy Harris and Councilmen Doug Mundrick (Post 4) and Greg Whitlock (Post 5). 

Mayor Harris has announced she plans to seek re-election to a second four-year term. Doug Mundrick has stated he does not plan to run for re-election. Mundrick has served two two-year and three four-year terms on the city council. He previously served four years on the city's Zoning Board of Appeals. His service to the city will add up to 20 years when he retires in early January.

Whitlock has indicated he will seek re-election to a second four-year term.

Qualifying for the 2011 Duluth Municipal Election starts at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29, and continues from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day until Wednesday, Aug. 31.

If the incumbents draw no opposition or there is only one candidate running for each post, the municipal election would be cancelled.