Kentucky Election Day: Beer Availability And Voting

In Kentucky, it is legal to buy beer on election day. This law came into effect in 2016, after the Kentucky General Assembly approved a bill in 2013 to reverse a Prohibition-era ban on alcohol sales during polling hours. According to KRS 244.290, any business licensed to sell alcohol is permitted to sell or deliver liquor, beer, wine, and other beverages during polling hours for any election, with exceptions for dry counties and cities.

Kentucky allows beer sales on election day

In 2013, the Kentucky General Assembly approved a bill to allow alcohol sales while the polls were open. This bill took effect in 2016, and now, according to KRS 244.290, any business licensed to sell alcohol is permitted to sell or deliver liquor, beer, wine, and other beverages during polling hours for any election. This law applies to both retail by the drink licensees and retail package licensees.

However, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule. Alcohol sales are still prohibited on election day if the county or city is dry, or if the legislative body passed an ordinance after June 25, 2013, prohibiting alcohol sales during polling hours.

The history behind the original ban on alcohol sales during elections in Kentucky dates back to the Antebellum period. During this time, it was not unusual for saloons to double as polling places. Corrupt politicians would try to skew election results by offering free drinks to voters.

Now, however, Kentucky allows beer and other alcohol sales on election day, with the exceptions noted above.

The law changed in 2013

In 2013, the Kentucky General Assembly gave final approval to a bill to reverse this ban, and it came into effect in 2016. This change in law was driven by the growing concern over the loss of millions of dollars in sales, not just at bars and liquor stores, but also along Kentucky's Bourbon Trail. The new law, KRS 244.290, states that authorized sellers "shall be permitted to sell and deliver distilled spirits and wine during the hours the polls are open on any primary, or regular, local option, or special election day."

However, there are a couple of exceptions to this law. Firstly, the law does not apply to dry counties. Secondly, cities are free to adopt ordinances that prohibit or limit the sale of alcoholic beverages during polling hours. For instance, the Hopkinsville Code of Ordinances was amended to allow alcohol sales on Election Day during the hours polls are open for voting.

Before 2013, Kentucky banned alcohol sales on election day

In Kentucky, it is now legal to purchase alcohol on Election Day. However, this hasn't always been the case. Before 2013, Kentucky had a statewide ban on alcohol sales during polling hours, with the exception of two cities. This ban was implemented during the Prohibition era, as a response to the common practice of buying votes with liquor, which could skew election results.

The practice of exchanging liquor for votes dates back to the Antebellum period, when saloons often doubled as polling places. Politicians would do whatever they could to make voters happy, including offering free drinks, which could influence their votes. This issue became known as "booze for ballots". Over the years, there were several attempts to lift the ban on alcohol sales during elections, but they were unsuccessful.

The ban on alcohol sales during polling hours was not just a matter of tradition but also had economic implications for the state. Liquor is a major business in Kentucky, and the ban resulted in significant losses for bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. In 2012, for example, 509,292 people took tours of the Bourbon Trail distilleries. These distillery tours were also shut down during polling hours due to the ban.

In 2013, state Senator John Schickel introduced a bill to lift the statewide ban on election-day alcohol sales. The bill was passed by the Kentucky General Assembly, and the ban was officially reversed. The new law, known as KRS 244.290, allows authorized sellers to "sell and deliver distilled spirits and wine during the hours the polls are open on any primary, or regular, local option, or special election day." However, there are still some exceptions to this law. For example, the law does not apply to dry counties or cities that have passed ordinances prohibiting alcohol sales during polling hours.

The ban was due to vote-buying with liquor

It is now legal to buy alcohol in Kentucky on Election Day. However, this has not always been the case. Up until 2013, there was a statewide ban on alcohol sales while the polls were open. This ban was due to the historical problem of vote-buying with liquor.

Back in the Antebellum period, it was common for saloons to double as polling places. Politicians would do whatever they could to make voters happy, and one way to do this was to provide free drinks. This practice could skew election results and was, therefore, a form of vote-buying or bribery.

Jim Holmberg of the Filson Historical Society of Louisville explained:

> "And of course, one way to do that was to keep the voters liquored up and basically seduce them or bribe them with drinks, free drinks, and it could actually skew the results of the election."

State Senator John Schickel introduced a bill to lift the ban in 2013, arguing that it was no longer practical as elections are closely monitored for fraud. He also pointed out that communities that wanted to continue the ban could do so through a local ordinance. The bill was approved by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2013 and took effect in 2016.

Dry counties are exempt from the law change

Kentucky's law on Election Day alcohol sales changed in 2013, and the new law took effect in 2016. According to KRS 244.290, any business licensed to sell alcohol is permitted to sell or deliver liquor, beer, wine, and other beverages during polling hours for any election. However, dry counties are exempt from this law change.

The law previously banned alcohol sales during polling hours, which was a response to the historical practice of saloons doubling as polling places and politicians skewing election results by offering free drinks to voters. While the law changed in 2013, dry counties or cities in Kentucky are still not permitted to sell alcohol on Election Day.

In these dry regions, the sale of alcoholic beverages remains prohibited during the hours the polls are open, which can vary but are typically from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. the following day. This means that in dry counties or cities, residents cannot purchase alcohol during the polling hours on Election Day.

It is important to note that individual cities in Kentucky also have the option to adopt ordinances prohibiting the sale of alcohol or limiting the hours of sale within their jurisdictions on Election Day. Therefore, it is always a good idea to check the local laws and regulations in your specific county or city to understand the restrictions on alcohol sales during elections.

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