Monday, November 06, 2006
Better safe than sorry -- buy your booze tonight
I spent Saturday night in Wilmington, Delaware and decided to do a little tax-free shopping Sunday before heading back to New Jersey and Jon Corzine's 7% sales tax.
As I roamed through the Costco by the Christiana Mall, I noticed a sign at the entrance to the liquor store. It said something like:
I found this government-imposed Election Day temperance to be a little odd and, to be honest, puritanical. Is the state so concerned that people will sit home drinking instead of heading out to the polls that they need to ban the sale of booze on Election Day? Or do they want to prevent drunks from driving to the polls? Or is voting while intoxicated the problem? Come on, Delaware, what gives?!?!
Well, it turns out that Delaware doesn't stand alone. In fact, several states have laws dealing with the sale of alcohol on Election Day. For example
As I roamed through the Costco by the Christiana Mall, I noticed a sign at the entrance to the liquor store. It said something like:
Attention Members:
Per Delaware State Law
The liquor store will be closed on Election Day
I found this government-imposed Election Day temperance to be a little odd and, to be honest, puritanical. Is the state so concerned that people will sit home drinking instead of heading out to the polls that they need to ban the sale of booze on Election Day? Or do they want to prevent drunks from driving to the polls? Or is voting while intoxicated the problem? Come on, Delaware, what gives?!?!
Well, it turns out that Delaware doesn't stand alone. In fact, several states have laws dealing with the sale of alcohol on Election Day. For example
- Delaware forces liquor stores to close on Election Day, but does not ban the sale of alcohol at restaurants or bars.
- Florida, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota and South Carolina permit local governments to regulate the sale of alcohol while the polls are open (good thing I have a case of beer in the fridge so I can spend my time keeping up with the Election Day chatter at The Corner).
- Idaho allows beer and wine to be sold on Election Day, but "spirits" must be "locked and secured" until the polls are closed.
- Mississippi seems to be just the opposite -- municipalities may prohibit beer sales, but they have no jurisdiction over "spirits."
- Then there's West Virginia -- it prohibits retail licensees from selling liquor on any primary or general election day but permits the sale of beer, wine and "fortified wine."
- Indiana and Kentucky say no to all alcohol while the polls are open.
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Just imagine you live in a dry town. That's Asheboro, North Carolina.
Not only can you not purchase something to numb the pain of defeat on Tuesday in our town, you can't buy it anywhere in the state.
Until the 50s, Asheboro was a swinging Southern town. Then, a few community leaders decided they'd had enough and forced booze out.
It's a hot topic down here. North Carolina adopted local option legislation and never has had the balls to make the spirits legal statewide. And the naysayers here in town believe liquor just isn't here. They choose to ignore that Asheboro seems to have some of the highest rates of alcohol-related accidents in the state.
They also ignore that the city attorney has sued Alcoholics Anonymous because he claimed their 12-step program didn't work.
Hic.
You see, if you can't buy it by the glass, then you have to buy it by the bottle.
Go figure.
Not only can you not purchase something to numb the pain of defeat on Tuesday in our town, you can't buy it anywhere in the state.
Until the 50s, Asheboro was a swinging Southern town. Then, a few community leaders decided they'd had enough and forced booze out.
It's a hot topic down here. North Carolina adopted local option legislation and never has had the balls to make the spirits legal statewide. And the naysayers here in town believe liquor just isn't here. They choose to ignore that Asheboro seems to have some of the highest rates of alcohol-related accidents in the state.
They also ignore that the city attorney has sued Alcoholics Anonymous because he claimed their 12-step program didn't work.
Hic.
You see, if you can't buy it by the glass, then you have to buy it by the bottle.
Go figure.
The idea behind the liquor ban was to prevent crooked politicians from getting voters drunk and bringing them to the polls.
I know, it sounds stupid to me, too.
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I know, it sounds stupid to me, too.
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