Ringgold, Ga., voters will not decide whether to allow liquor stores in that city this year.
Developer Alvin Mashburn’s attempt to put a referendum on this November’s ballot failed. Mashburn hoped voters would approve a change in city law to allow him to open a liquor store on Battlefield Highway, but he did not get enough signatures on a petition to add the item to this year’s ballot.
Mashburn needed 698 signatures by the end of last week. That would represent 35 percent of the voters who participated in the last Ringgold city election. Instead, Mashburn received about 170 signatures.
Catoosa County Elections Superintendent Tonya Moore said Mashburn told him last Wednesday he would not be able to put the item on the ballot. But, Mashburn said Monday, he hopes to bring the issue up again next year.
“We’ll see how it works out,” he said. “But we’re definitely going to pursue it as long as it takes to get the signatures.”