NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee voters in several dozen communities will decide whether supermarkets will be able to sell wine.
According to a coalition that's tracked the petitions, 78 municipalities have collected enough signatures to place a referendum for supermarket wine sales on the ballot.
Currently, wine can only be sold in liquor stores. But a state law that passed this year will allow it to be sold by grocery and convenience stores starting in July 2016 if citizens vote to approve the change.
Only communities that currently allow package stores or liquor by the drink are eligible to hold votes as long as at least 10 percent of voters in the community signed petitions. For instance, in metro Nashville, organizers had to get 15,000 signatures.