Cedartown voters gave an overwhelming yes vote Tuesday to liquor sales by the drink and by the package in the city.

A total of 995 votes were cast in the election with 580 voting yes for approval of liquor by the drink and 381 voting no.

The vote for package sales of liquor was almost identical with 580 voting yes and 392 voting no.

A number of citizens had thought the election would be close, but both questions passed easily in what could be described as a light turnout. Only 32.6 percent of the registered voters showed up at the polls to cast electronic ballots.

Both questions passed by about 60 percent of the registered voters approving with 40 percent voting no.

The decision means that Cedartown will have legal liquor sales in the near future.

City Commissioner Bobby Alexander said the city panel put it before the people and they will abide by their decision.

When asked why he believed it passed, he said there was not much opposition until the past few days.

City Commissioner Bert Wood said he was not surprised by the vote.

City officials had stressed that voters should be aware that the electronic ballots would have both questions (by the drink and by the package) and they should vote yes or no on both questions. Apparently those who voted understood the process.

This was the first vote on the issue in slightly more than 30 years.

On March 7, 1973, city residents rejected the issue 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 were backing the referendum believed there was more support for the legalized sale of distilled spirits in the city.

The Cedartown Citizens for Tax Relief and Beverage Control stated earlier they would like to see guidelines placed on the sale of alcoholic beverages by the city commission.

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 and could help attract quality industry to the community.”

The group in favor of the legalized sale ran a number of ads promoting its passage in the Standard and on the local radio station – WGAA.

Although no organized opposition has stepped forward, two letters and three ads opposing the sale did appear in The Cedartown Standard.