Clarksville, TN – Time is running out for eligible Montgomery County voters who live outside the Clarksville city limits to have their voices heard on a proposed wine sales referendum. Organizers are working to collect the 1,500 valid signatures needed to place the question on the November 3rd ballot, but all petition forms must be submitted to the Montgomery County Election Commission by August 20th.
The petition drive is seeking to give voters in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County the opportunity to decide whether retail food stores located in the county should be permitted to sell wine. Supporters of the petition point to the existing difference between stores inside and outside the Clarksville city limits, noting that retail food stores within the city are already permitted to sell wine while many stores in the unincorporated county are not.
With the deadline approaching quickly, every valid signature is important. Organizers are encouraging eligible voters to download and print the petition form provided below, complete it properly and turn it in as soon as possible. Residents can also help by asking eligible family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers who live in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County to sign the petition.
Petition Could Put Wine Sales Question Before Voters
If the required number of valid signatures is collected and the petition qualifies, voters who live outside the Clarksville city limits would have the opportunity to decide whether wine sales should be authorized at retail food stores in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County.
The issue would appear as a local option referendum on the November 3rd ballot, with early voting scheduled to begin October 14th, if the referendum qualifies for the ballot.
Organizers must reach the required number of 1,500 valid signatures, making it especially important that every petition form be completed correctly. A signature that cannot be verified may not count toward the total.
Who Can Sign the Petition?
The petition is specifically for registered voters who live in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County. Residents who live within the City of Clarksville are not eligible to sign because the proposed referendum applies to county voters outside the city limits.
To ensure a signature can be counted, eligible voters must:
- Be a registered voter in Montgomery County.
- Live in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County.
- Clearly print their full name on the petition.
- Provide their address.
- Sign the petition.
- Make sure all information is written clearly and legibly so election officials can verify it.
Simply signing the petition is not enough if the required information cannot be read or verified. Petition organizers are asking participants to take the time to complete the form carefully.
Download, Print and Turn In the Petition
For those who are eligible to participate, the easiest way to help is to download and print the petition PDF provided below. Once printed, eligible voters can complete the form by clearly printing their name, providing their address and signing it.
After completing the form, it can be dropped off at one of the petition locations listed below. Organizers are encouraging people not to wait until the final deadline to turn in their completed petitions.
The deadline to submit petitions to the Montgomery County Election Commission is August 20th.
Petition Drop-Off Locations
Hilltop Supermarket
400 TN-149
Clarksville, TN
Food Lion
1764 Highway 48
Clarksville, TN
Those who have questions about the petition or eligibility requirements can also visit the Hilltop Supermarket office for additional information.
Every Valid Signature Counts
The petition effort is now working against the clock. Reaching the 1,500-signature requirement depends on enough eligible county voters completing the petition correctly and getting their forms turned in before the deadline.
For those who support giving retail food stores in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County the ability to sell wine under the same rules currently available to stores within the City of Clarksville, every signature can make a difference in getting the question before voters.
Download and print the petition PDF below, complete it clearly, and turn it in as soon as possible. Eligible voters can also help by encouraging their family members, friends, neighbors and others who live in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County to download, print and sign the petition before turning it in. Remember, each person must be an eligible Montgomery County voter living outside the Clarksville city limits, and they must clearly print their name, provide their address and sign the form for the signature to be verified.
The August 20th deadline is quickly approaching. Download the petition, print it, get eligible family and friends to sign, and turn in the completed forms before the deadline.
