Marshall County goes wet, by 202-vote margin

Pro-alcohol forces take victory in Marshall County special election.
Pro-alcohol forces take victory in Marshall County special election.

Marshall County voters favored legalization of alcohol sales by a mere 202 votes in Tuesday’s special election.

Those in favor totaled 6,431 votes to 6,229 who voted against the proposal.

That reversed the outcome of an earlier effort, in 2012, to make the county wet for the first time since the 1930s.

Local government entities will now go to work to put the voters’ preference into action. That work could take several months or more.

Halfway through vote-counting it was a close battle, with those in favor of keeping Marshall County dry enjoying a slim lead.

But the “yes” forces erased that deficit and ended with big victories in East Marshall (469-184), Ross (464-191) and Birmingham (336-256), taking victories in 13 of 25 precincts.

The dry forces won 12 precincts plus the absentee ballot.

Wet votes carried the day for West Benton, Birmingham, North Benton, Hardin, East Marshall, West Gilbertsville, Tatumsville, Central Calvert, Ross, Fairdealding, West Calvert and Gilbertsville.

Going dry were South Marshall, West Marshall, South Benton, Southwest Benton, Draffenville, Olive, Sharpe, Briensburg, Palma, East Calvert, Little Cypress, Harvey and Brewers.

The dry forces carried 15 of 25 precincts plus absentee ballots in 2012.

The referendum in July 2012 resulted in 53 percent voting no, to keep the county dry.

The 12,260 voters who cast ballots totaled 457 fewer than the 13,117 who went to the polls in 2012. CLICK HERE for a precinct-by-precinct graph of the results.