Voters in unincorporated Coweta

County will head to the polls in March to decide if they want a cocktail

with their dinner.

Coweta County Commission decided to let the voters make the decision on

liquor in the unincorporated county.

Newnan currently allows mixed

drinks at restaurants that have at least 50 percent of their sales in

food. In January, Commission Chairman Leigh Schlumper, who led the referendum

drive, said she would like the county's ordinance to mirror Newnan's.

In 1997, voters in the county

voted down a liquor by the drink referendum, but Schlumper said the demographics

in the county have changed dramatically in the last six year.

Commissioner Vernon "Mutt"

Hunter, who voted against the referendum in January and Tuesday, said

there were other ways to get the item on the ballot, such as people gathering

35 percent of the registered voters signatures to put it up for a vote.

Commissioner Robert Wood, who

supported the issue, rebuffed arguments that drinking was immoral and

said "grown-up adults should be able to make their own decisions."

The March 2 vote coincides

with the Presidential primary vote. Earlier in the year, county attorney

Mitch Powell said all residents would be allowed to vote on the issue.