According to the website caseynews.net, local real estate developer Ronnie Davis is promoting the referendum, which is seeking to get a wet/dry vote on the ballot in a special called election possibly in August.
Davis led a failed initiative to make the city of Liberty wet in May 2010, when voters said “no” to alcohol sales 376 to 303. This time, however, the referendum asks registered voters if they favor the sale of alcoholic beverages in Casey County, not just Liberty.
As Davis said six years ago, the issue is less about drinking and more about economics.
On Jan. 19, Russell County voted to end prohibition by a vote of 3,833 to 3,423. After almost a century of being dry, Adair County voted March 22 by a margin of 3,384 to 2,755 to end prohibition. A group in Campbellsville is circulating petitions to call for a wet/dry vote for the city. Somerset, in Pulaski County, permits the sale of alcohol. Lebanon and Marion County are also wet.
According to Casey County Court Clerk Casey Davis, to hold a wet/dry special election, a person or group must collect signatures on a petition equal to 25% of voter turnout from the last General Election, in November 2015. In that election, 3,623 people voted, which means 25% would be 905 signatures.
However, Casey Davis said the law states the petitions may not have been circulated for more than 6 months before being submitted to his office.
Once Ronnie Davis collects the petitions with at least 905 signatures, the petitions are turned into the clerk’s office, where Davis’ staff will have 30 days to certify every name.
If at least 905 voters’ names are certified, then County Judge-Executive Randy Dial “shall make an order directing the election to be held,” Kentucky law states.
Casey Davis said the cost of calling a special election in 15 precincts is $27,000.