Allen County will stage a wet-dry vote early next year, allowing voters there to decide whether to follow in the footsteps of other southcentral Kentucky cities and counties that have approved alcohol sales.

A petition to hold a local option election on the matter was filed Monday with the Allen County Clerk’s office and certified on Wednesday by Allen County Judge-Executive Johnny Hobdy.

In order to be certified, the petition required the signatures of at least 857 people – equal to 25 percent of voter turnout in the most recent general election in Allen County.

County officials verified 865 of the signatures on the petition, and a wet-dry vote has been set for Jan. 24.

Allen County went dry in 1920 when federal Prohibition was enacted by Constitutional amendment and remained dry after the amendment was repealed in 1933. The last wet-dry vote in Allen County occurred in 1967.

The group Citizens for Economic Growth in Allen County, consisting of a number of small business owners in the community, circulated the petition, and supports alcohol sales.

Supporters of going wet have touted potential economic benefits in the form of a new revenue stream for the county from the regulation of direct sales and the possibility of increased travel to the county and new businesses locating there.

“The sale of alcohol is legal in 97 percent of the counties in the United States,” said Rob Herrington, chairman of Citizens for Economic Growth in Allen County, in a statement. “We look to regulate its consumption, tax it and grow our local economy as several bordering communities including Franklin, Cave City, Glasgow and Barren County have already begun to reap the benefits, both economically and culturally … our efforts in this movement are driven by the desire to have a better Allen County for families and their future in the community. Without some sort of positive shift economically and socially, it will be increasingly difficult to make this happen.”

This was the second effort by the group to have a local option election. 

A petition drive last year attained a greater number of signatures, but ultimately failed to lead to a vote after Hobdy invalidated the majority of signatures, citing a state law that requires voters to print as well as sign their names.

Opposition to going wet has been led by the Concerned Citizens of Allen County-Scottsville that has voiced concerns about public safety related to alcohol sales.

“Concerned Citizens still stands against alcohol sales in Allen County,” said group member Russell Mills. “A lot of people in the community have reached out to us and said that they would like to see the county stay dry.”

A flurry of wet-dry votes in southcentral Kentucky have proved mostly successful for advocates of alcohol sales. 

Barren County voted to go wet in September and an alcohol beverage control ordinance awaits a second reading there by the Barren County Fiscal Court. 

Barren County Attorney Jeff Sharp said recently he anticipates alcohol sales will begin shortly after the start of the new year once sales licenses are issued.

In Butler County, the cities of Morgantown, Rochester and Woodbury also approved alcohol sales in September, several months after a countywide vote resulted in Butler County remaining dry.

— Follow courts reporter Justin Story on Twitter @jstorydailynews or visit bgdailynews.com.