Will Allen Co. become a wet county? Upcoming election to determine yes or no to alcohol sales

ALLEN CO., Ky.-Allen County residents will find a familiar question on their primary election ballot.

“Everybody’s got a right. They have a right to push for it to be legal, we have a right to push for it not to be legal,” said Pastor Danny Patrick of East Willow Street Church of God. 

This May, voters will decide whether to keep Allen County a ‘dry county’ or allow alcohol sales in the area. The wet or dry question was also proposed on the 2017 election ballot… the majority voted no. 

“Good doesn’t outweigh the bad that it brings. Alcohol is one of the biggest killers, cancer and all those things. Alcohol is detrimental to a lot of people’s health,” said Patrick. 

Patrick says he takes it personally. 

“My family was hit by alcohol when I was just a little boy and I saw what alcohol did to so many lives. The rich, the poor, everybody, alcohol has no special guest,” said Patrick. 

Others who are voting yes for alcohol sales argue that this change will greatly benefit the economy. 

“Some more money into Allen County via regulatory fees. We also think it will help some of our small restaurants to have a little more money, bigger margin during slow times and we think it will help bring other businesses into Allen County,” said Rob Herrington, a part of the Citizens for Economic Growth in Allen County. 

Another argument for the yes vote is that Allen County may be losing money to wet counties that border them. 

“I mean they’re either buying it and bringing it to their homes and drinking it or they’re going to restaurants in surrounding counties,” said Herrington. 

A divisive issue… only to be determined by your vote.