City officials preparing for special election

Russellville officials are preparing for the city’s first ever municipal option election.

On Nov. 2, the same day that voters statewide cast their ballots for state and county offices, Russellville will hold a special election concerning the legalization of alcohol sales inside the city limits.

City Clerk Kim Wright said the election will be completely separate from the general election, though it will be held at all of the same precincts.

“People will vote in all the same places, but it will be two totally separate elections,” Wright said.

At each polling place, which in Russellville will be the high school, College Avenue Elementary, the courthouse, Chucky Mullins Center and the electric board warehouse, different voting booths will be set up for the city election.

City officials said that state laws require the municipal option elections to be held on separate ballots from any other general elections.

The only item on the city ballot concerns the wet/dry vote and reads as follows: “Do you favor the legal sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages within this municipality?”

Voters will simply select ‘yes’ or ‘no.’

For those wanting to vote on an absentee ballot, they must also fill out a separate form than the one used for the general election. Those are available at city hall and must be personally turned back in to city hall or delivered by the United States Postal Service by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28.