Red White and Food, the 501(c)(6) organization that supports allowing wine sales in Tennessee’s retail food stores, is working statewide to educate its supporters and to encourage them to vote for wine on Election Day on Nov. 4, or during early voting, which begins Oct. 15.
“We are in the final stage to get wine in retail food stores,” said Susie Alcorn, Red White and Food campaign manager. “This summer, we collected more than 262,247 signatures, which led to 78 communities having the wine question on the November ballot. In the coming days, voters will have the final say on the purchase of wine in retail food stores. We are encouraging Tennesseans to vote for wine.”
The wine in retail food stores referendum will appear on the ballot in 78* qualifying municipalities across Tennessee. Petitions were filed in those communities this summer and certified by the local election commissions to authorize the referendum. Red White and Food encourages voters to read the Nov. 4 ballot in its entirety, as the wine question appears near the end of the ballot.
Ms. Alcorn expects the campaign to use a variety of tools to reach wine supporters, including paid media, in-store displays and events. Volunteers are needed, and anyone wishing to help can contact the campaign at volunteer@redwhiteandfood.com.
“We are grateful to those Tennesseans who have supported the Red White and Food campaign,” said Ms. Alcorn. “Tennesseans who want to purchase wine with their groceries have worked hard over seven years – to make this a reality, voters must vote for wine.”
Legislation passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in March of this year was a compromise between retail food stores and liquor stores. Many liquor stores across the state are now selling beer and party supplies as allowed by the new law. In communities where the wine referendum passes, retail food stores will be able to sell wine beginning July 1, 2016.