Sunday liquor OK'D
Residents vote 1008 to 805 favor of by-the-drink sales

Poll worker Antoinette Greene, left, watches as Doug Mason fills out his ballot to vote on the Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages at the Octavia Fellin Library Tuesday, August 5. [photo by Cable Hoover/Independent]

By Kevin Killough
Staff writer

GALLUP — Gallup residents voted yesterday to repeal the Sunday ban on by-the-drink alcohol sales. A total of 1,813 Gallup residents voted in the election with 1,008 voting for the ballot and 805 against.

Nearly 500 early votes were counted with two-thirds voting for the ballot. The precincts were much closer. District 1 showed the greatest gap between voters with a count of 173 to 93. District 4 and District 2 both voted against the measure.

“I think it’s great, and I think it’s good for Gallup,” Mayor Harry Mendoza said.

Mendoza said that Gallup was the only city along Interstate Highway 40 with a ban on Sunday liquor sales. He said that the repeal would attract chain restaurants like Red Lobster and Outback.

City Manager Gerald Herrera was also pleased with the outcome of the vote.

“The results are good, at least from my personal opinion,” he said.

Local resident Janice Spiros voted against the repeal, fearing it would increase the problems associated with alcohol.

“I think we have enough alcohol problems in this town ... Six other days a week, you can drink.”

She said she does not believe that the law had any negative affect on the economy, such as reducing the number of conventions, as many proponents claimed it did. Spiros said that Gallup would do far more to attract conventions with proper facilities, such as the indoor arena Mendoza is proposing to build out at Red Rock Park.

“What does this town have to offer?” she said.

The turnout was said to be rather high, despite so many early votes. At the Octavia Fellin Public Library, poll workers said that more people turned out than for the primaries last June. At 4 p.m., 90 people had voted on the measure at the location.

“Well, this is more than the last election,” volunteer poll worker Alicia Morgan said.

The new regulations will take effect in 30 days, and establishments wishing to sell alcohol on Sunday will still need to apply for a special permit, which some may elect not to do. Packaged liquor sales will still be prohibited.