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Petition mix-up led to questions Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day says some questions regarding signatures on the alcohol petition were the result of a mix-up at city hall. When members of CAAST, Citizens Against Alcohol Sales in Thomasville requested the names on the certified petition, they were apparently given the names from the first petition presented to the council nearly a year ago asking for a vote on the matter. "The city clerk was on vacation when they asked for it," Day said. "They wound up with the first petition, not the certified petition. We apologized, it was our fault." One of the signers of that first petition died after that petition was presented. The city is still waiting for a response from the Attorney General regarding which election to use to determine the number of signatures needed for the certified petition. State law requires that the petition must contain the signatures of registered voters who are registered in Thomasville. The question brought up by Rob Moore, CAAST chairman, is which election should be used to determine the required number of signatures. State law requires the petition contain enough signatures to represent at least 25 percent of the votes cast in the previous election. What is unclear, is whether the election used to determine that number is the last municipal election held or the last general election held. If the Attorney General's opinion confirms the city's determination that the municipal election be used to count signatures, then the current petition will stand. Out of just more than 300 signatures, 259 were certified against the county's voter list. However, if the Attorney General says the last municipal election must be used, the wet forces in Thomasville will need to gather about 150 more signatures, something they've told city officials they are ready and willing to do, should the need arise.
If no more signatures are needed for the petition, the council is expected to set a date for the wet-dry vote at its next meeting, Feb. 19. The normal meeting date of Feb. 12 was moved back one week. A suggested date for the vote is April 24.
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