Shelby County voters say yes to Sunday alcohol sales (video)

Shelby County voters on Tuesday said yes to the idea of letting people buy alcoholic beverages in the county on Sunday afternoons.

About 70 percent of voters who took part in Tuesday’s election, or 43,067 people, voted in favor of the amendment, while 30 percent, or 18,585 people, voted against it, according to unofficial results from the Shelby County probate judge’s office.

Only an undetermined number of provisional ballots have yet to be counted, Probate Judge Jim Fuhrmeister said.

The change in the law likely will go into effect in about two weeks, Fuhrmeister said. The language in the amendment did not specify an effective date for the change, so it likely will take effect when the votes are certified by the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office in roughly two weeks, Fuhrmeister said.

Collin Holt of Riverchase was among those who voted in favor of the change.

“I definitely think that alcohol sales should be allowed on Sunday afternoons,” Holt said. “I don’t think that law prevents anyone from drinking alcohol on Sunday. Regardless, people just stock up ahead of time. I think it’s mostly just an inconvenience and an issue for restaurants that work that can’t make money on that day because they can’t sell alcohol if they don’t have a certain kind of permit.”

Janice Thompson of the Greystone community in Hoover said people just drive into Jefferson County to get their alcohol on Sundays. “Keep that money and that income right here in Shelby County,” she said.

Linda Systrom of Riverchase said she’s not a big drinker, but she thinks the ability to sell alcohol on Sundays could help Shelby County’s businesses a little bit.

Karen Langevin, also of Riverchase, said when she goes out to a Mexican restaurant on a Sunday, she wants to have a Margarita.

“I’m not from here. I’m not a Bible belter,” Langevin said. “Once you reach the age of 21, I think you ought to be able to make your own decisions. I don’t think you need government to tell us what to do. I deeply resent that.”

Others, though in the minority at the polls, felt differently.

“Sunday is meant for that day of rest,” said Sherita Wilson, a resident of Eagle Ridge Apartments in north Shelby County. “I’m a Christian, and I just believe that they should just keep that where it is — no alcohol sales on Sunday.”

Chris Clark, a Brook Highland resident, said she knows some businesses may be hurt by the current ban on Sunday alcohol sales, but she believes there are enough opportunities for alcohol sales on other days.

Janie Dollar of the Greystone community in Hoover, said if more alcohol is sold on Sundays, there will be more drunk drivers. “Also, that’s the Lord’s day,” she said.

Don Brewer, another Greystone resident, said he personally thinks it would be nice to be able to buy a drink on Sunday, but he voted against the idea because he thinks it’s better for society overall to prohibit it.

“Sunday needs to be a special day. That’s one of the few things you can’t do on a Sunday,” he said. “My dad was an alcoholic, and that was the only day he couldn’t get any liquor. It was a welcome relief for him to sort of dry out one day.”