About a decade ago, Emporia voters decided against having Sunday alcohol sales. On Tuesday, local voters reversed course and approved Sunday sales.
Emporia now joins Americus, Lebo, Lyndon, Olpe and Osage City areawide as cities that allow Sunday sales. City commissioners approved Sunday sales in April, but Church of the New Covenant Pastor Chester Morris presented the petition to the County Clerk’s Office that led to Tuesday’s vote. Morris believes an issue which affects the community, should be decided on by the community.
Former city commissioner Jim Kessler originally presented the idea of Sunday liquor sales. He says many communities have begun allowing the sale of alcohol across the county and have seen positive results.
Kessler tells KVOE News he believes the potential revenue increase from sales tax in Emporia was a major factor that motivated voters.
Mayor Danny Giefer tells KVOE News he was surprised by the final margin, but not really by the vote.
Giefer says stores don’t have to participate, but he expects many will. Russ Osborn of Ozzy’s Get-N-Go Liquor expects a net positive, although he believes his traffic patterns may shift.
Giefer also says he doesn’t expect a huge increase in revenues for the city’s special alcohol sales tax fund that benefits charitable organizations like Corner House and CrossWinds.
Sunday sales will begin after the vote is officially certified next week. Emporia now joins Americus, Lebo, Lyndon, Olpe and Osage City areawide as cities that allow Sunday sales. Emporia’s ordinance will allow Sunday sales from 12-8 pm on Sundays except for holidays — specifically Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Election results came in fast and furious, with the first precincts reported just after 7:30 p.m. and the final precincts tallied less than hour later. Lyon County Clerk Tammy Vopat says it was evident that the new voting machines improved the speed of the overall tabulating process and calls it a good first test ahead of the general election.
A total of 5,106 Lyon County residents cast their ballots in the election, a turnout of about 25 percent. In addition, 1,062 residents took advantage of advance voting. Vopat says turnout wasn’t as high as she anticipated.
For state races, current Gov. Jeff Colyer carried Lyon County in a tight race also involving Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who finished second, and former Emporia lawmaker Jim Barnett, who came in third. Topeka lawmaker Laura Kelly easily won the Democrat vote for governor. Statewide, however, the race to gain the Republican nomination for governor has not officially been decided. Issues with voting machines in Johnson County have put the counting on pause very late in the process. With almost 95 percent of the precincts done, Secretary of State Kris Kobach leads Gov. Jeff Colyer by about 600 votes out of over 240,000 votes cast just between the two men. Former Emporia lawmaker Jim Barnett is third, with current Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer fourth.
On the Democrat side, Topeka lawmaker Laura Kelly easily outpaced her challengers for the nomination. Former Wichita mayor Carl Brewer was second, while former state secretary of agriculture Josh Svaty was third.
The Republican nominee and Kelly will also have to contend with independent Greg Orman, who submitted over 10,000 petition signatures recently to get on the November general election ballot.
In other races, incumbent Roger Marshall easily defeated challenger Nick Reinecker for the House First District seat and now will run against Democrat Alan LaPolice in the general election. Robert D’Andrea and Ben Jones were in a tight race for the State Board of Education Position 7 nomination for the Republicans. The winner faces Democrat Jim Hannon of Emporia.
Results
Emporia Sunday liquor sales
Yes 1954
No 1352
Coffey County Commission District 1-Republican
Jim Dale
Tom Hugunin
Don Ulrich
Governor-Republican
Jim Barnett 27449
Jeff Colyer 126066
Kris Kobach 126257
Patrick Kucera 3123
Tyler Ruzich 2217
Ken Selzer 24356
Joseph Tutera 1541
Governor-Democrat
Arden Andersen 12845
Jack Bergeson 3850
Carl Brewer 30693
Laura Kelly 79746
Joshua Svaty 26722
Secretary of State-Republican
Randy Duncan 56214
Keith Esau 27810
Craig McCullah 31854
Scott Schwab 106569
Dennis Taylor 55672
Insurance Commissioner-Republican
Vicki Schmidt 148936
Clark Shultz 137636
Kansas State Board of Education Position 7-Republican
Robert D’Andrea 14017
Ben Jones 15172
US House of Representatives First District-Republican
Roger Marshall 63563
Nick Reinecker 17139
