Would Sunday sales pass in Savannah?

Thanks to Peach Pundit for their post regarding a recent poll gauging support for Sunday alcohol sales in Georgia. As most of you presumably know, local municipalities in Georgia now have the right to vote at the polls on whether to allow Sunday package sales within prescribed afternoon hours. No word yet if the initiative will be on Savannah ballots in November.

The poll by Hicks Evaluation Group and Guided Precision Services can be viewed in a PDF here.

Based on 344 responses in the random telephone poll, Savannahians oppose Sunday sales 53.8% to 46.2%.

I share that data with a number of provisos.

A telephone poll might have reached an older demographic less likely to support Sunday sales. Even some who oppose the sale of alcohol on Sundays might nevertheless vote to give local businesses the right (Gov. Deal says he opposes Sunday sales but signed the bill allowing the local referendums). The Savannah respondents were more than 60% women, which might have impacted the numbers. The poll was conducted before any sort of public campaign by either those pro or con. The poll only included responses from those who had voted in two of the last three elections (2006, 2008, 2010), and so might have downplayed the number of young voters.

I think Sunday sales would pass relatively easily in Savannah, but this poll will embolden opponents and signal to supporters that they might have some work to do.

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