Voters throughout

Coweta County will determine the fate of serving mixed drinks in restaurants

in the unincorporated county.

Shortly after

the Coweta County Commission voted to call for a referendum on the issue

last week, questions started swirling about who could actually vote on

the issue.

In a memo to

the County Commission this week, county attorney Mitch Powell said all

citizens can vote.

"The laws

of Georgia, however, provide for all residents of the county to vote whether

they live in an incorporated city or not," he said.

Even though

everybody would vote, Powell added the only area that would add mixed

drinks to the menu would be establishments in the unincorporated county.

"In order

to adopt liquor sales in any city, the council or voters of that city

must by their initiative call a referendum," Powell said.

Newnan currently

allows liquor by the drink, while the city of Grantville allows package

sales.

Powell was

also very specific concerning the date of the election.

He said the

code section allows for special elections on the second Tuesday in March,

April, September and the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

He added that

the Election Superintendent sets the date, by the County Commission can

request the date it wants the election to be held.

Before the

election can be held, the request would have to be submitted to the Department

of Justice to see if it complies with the Voting Rights Act.