Section 141. Local option for towns  


Latest version.
  • 1. Not less than sixty days nor more
      than seventy-five days before the general election in any town at  which
      the submission of the questions hereinafter stated is authorized by this
      article, a petition signed by electors of the town to a number amounting
      to  twenty-five per centum of the votes cast in the town for governor at
      the then last preceding  gubernatorial  election,  acknowledged  by  the
      signers or authenticated by witnesses as provided in the election law in
      respect  of  a  nominating  petition,  requesting the submission at such
      election to the electors of the town of one or  more  of  the  following
      questions, may be filed with the town clerk:
        Question  1.  Tavern  alcoholic  beverage  license.  Shall a person be
      allowed to obtain a license to operate a tavern with  a  limited-service
      menu (sandwiches, salads, soups, etc.) which permits the tavern operator
      to  sell  alcoholic beverages for a customer to drink while the customer
      is within the tavern. In addition, unopened containers of beer (such  as
      six-packs  and  kegs)  may  be sold "to go" for the customer to open and
      drink at another location (such as, for example, at his home)?
        Question 2. Restaurant alcoholic beverage license. Shall the  operator
      of  a  full-service  restaurant  be  allowed  to  obtain a license which
      permits the restaurant  operator  to  sell  alcoholic  beverages  for  a
      customer  to  drink  while  the  customer  is  within the restaurant. In
      addition, unopened containers of beer (such as six-packs and  kegs)  may
      be  sold  "to go" for the customer to open and drink at another location
      (such as, for example, at his home)?
        Question 3. Year-round hotel alcoholic  beverage  license.  Shall  the
      operator of a year-round hotel with a full-service restaurant be allowed
      to obtain a license which permits the year-round hotel to sell alcoholic
      beverages  for  a  customer  to  drink  while the customer is within the
      hotel. In addition, unopened containers of beer (such as  six-packs  and
      kegs)  may be sold "to go" for the customer to open and drink at another
      location (such as, for example, at his home)?
        Question  4.  Summer  hotel  alcoholic  beverage  license.  Shall  the
      operator  of  a  summer  hotel  with a full-service restaurant, open for
      business only within the period from May first to  October  thirty-first
      in  each  year,  be allowed to obtain a license which permits the summer
      hotel to sell alcoholic beverages for a  customer  to  drink  while  the
      customer  is  within the hotel. In addition, unopened containers of beer
      (such as six-packs and kegs) may be sold "to go"  for  the  customer  to
      open and drink at another location (such as, for example, at his home)?
        Question  5.  Retail  package  liquor  or  wine store license. Shall a
      person be allowed to obtain  a  license  to  operate  a  retail  package
      liquor-and-wine  or  wine-without-liquor store, to sell "to go" unopened
      bottles of liquor or wine to a customer to be taken from the  store  for
      the  customer  to  open  and  drink  at  another  location (such as, for
      example, at his home)?
        Question 6. Off-premises beer  and  wine  cooler  license.  Shall  the
      operator  of  a grocery store, drugstore or supply ship operating in the
      harbors of Lake Erie be allowed to obtain a license  which  permits  the
      operator  to sell "to go" unopened containers of beer (such as six-packs
      and kegs) and wine coolers with not more than 6% alcohol to  a  customer
      to be taken from the store for the customer to open and drink at another
      location (such as, for example, at his home)?
        Question  7.  Baseball  park,  racetrack,  athletic  field  or stadium
      license.  Shall a person be allowed to obtain a  license  which  permits
      the sale of beer for a patron's consumption while the patron is within a
      baseball  park,  racetrack,  or  other  athletic  field or stadium where
      admission fees are charged?
    
        2. Upon the due filing of such petition complying with  the  foregoing
      provisions, such questions shall be submitted in accordance therewith.
        3.  The  town  clerk  shall,  within five days from the filing of such
      petition in his office, prepare and file in the office of the  board  of
      elections,  as  defined  by the election law, of the county, a certified
      copy of such petition. Such questions may be submitted only at the  time
      of  a  general election. At least ten days before such general election,
      the board of elections shall cause to be printed and posted in at  least
      four  public  places  in such town, a notice of the fact that all of the
      local option questions will be voted on at such  general  election;  and
      the  said  notice  shall also be published at least five days before the
      vote is to be taken once in a newspaper published in the county in which
      such town is situated, which shall be a newspaper published in the town,
      if there be one. Whenever such questions are to be submitted  under  the
      provisions of this article the board of elections shall cause the proper
      ballot  labels  to  be printed and placed on all voting machines used in
      the town in which such questions  are  to  be  submitted,  in  the  form
      prescribed  by  the  election  law  in  respect of other propositions or
      questions, upon the face of which shall be  printed  in  full  the  said
      questions.  Any  elector  qualified  to vote for state officers shall be
      entitled to vote upon such  local  option  questions.  As  soon  as  the
      election  shall be held, a return of the votes cast and counted shall be
      made as provided by law and the returns canvassed by the  inspectors  of
      election.  If  a  majority of the votes cast shall be in the negative on
      all or any of the questions, no person shall, after such election,  sell
      alcoholic  beverages  in  such  town  contrary  to  such  vote or to the
      provisions of this chapter; provided, however, that the result  of  such
      vote  shall  not  shorten  the  term for which any license may have been
      lawfully issued under this chapter or affect the rights of the  licensee
      thereunder;  and  no person shall after such vote apply for or receive a
      license to sell alcoholic beverages at retail in such town  contrary  to
      such  vote,  until, by referendum as hereinafter provided for, such sale
      shall again become lawful.