Voters in Chattooga County’s municipalities passed liquor referendums on Tuesday evening, meaning that the sale of packaged liquor could soon be a reality inside the city limits of Menlo, Summerville and Trion.

It was over a decade ago that Lyerly voters went to the polls and passed a packaged liquor referendum.  For around ten years, TJ’s Package Store in Lyerly was the only place in the county where liquor could be legally sold.  Now, all of that could change.

The vote to allow packaged liquor wasn’t even close in Trion and Summerville.  Trion voters approved the measure with 72% of the vote and Summerville voters approved packaged liquor by a vote of 74% in favor.

The vote was much closer in Menlo where only 54% of the voters approved the liquor referendum.

Still, packaged liquor sales will only be legal inside the city limits of each municipality.  The county government would need to place the question on the ballot and voters would have to pass it in order for liquor stores to operate outside the city limits of Summerville, Lyerly, Trion or Menlo.