The city of Bethel may be "wet" now, but voters there don't want a liquor store. They don't want a bar. They don't want a restaurant selling alcohol, and they don't want the city to sell booze either.
That according to unofficial results from an advisory vote on alcohol yesterday in the Western Alaska hub of 5,700 people.
Tuesday's vote doesn't change local laws, but was meant to clarify what voters had in mind back in October when they lifted a long-standing ban on alcohol sales in the city.
With several local businesses trying to get liquor licenses from the state, the City Council voted 5-1 last week to ban liquor stores and bars from opening within 300 feet of schools and churches.
Bethel is a shopping, medical and social service hub for dozens of smaller communities that prohibit liquor. The region has long struggled with high rates of alcohol related accidents, deaths, crime and suicide.
The latest round of alcohol votes have been confusing for voters.
Supporters of the effort to remove the liquor restrictions said they didn't really want alcohol sales in Bethel, but wanted to be free from what they saw as ever-tightening state regulation and oversight of damp communities.
Voter turnout Tuesday was about 23 percent -- down from roughly 32 percent in October, according to Bethel city numbers.
Turnout may have been lower than expected because the vote is advisory only, said City Clerk Lori Strickler. She estimates the election will cost the city roughly $6,000.
Here are Tuesday's unofficial results, with 96 absentee and questioned ballots remaining to be counted. Note that voters even rejected the idea of a city-run bar or liquor store, which is what Kotzebue is doing:
Proposition 1: Should the City of Bethel support a liquor license application for a liquor store within the City of Bethel?
Yes: 257
No: 456
Proposition 2: Should the City of Bethel support a liquor license application for a bar within the City of Bethel?
Yes: 190
No: 524
Proposition 3: Should the City of Bethel support a liquor license application for a restaurant or eating establishment within the City of Bethel?
Yes: 259
No: 452
Proposition 4: Should the City of Bethel support a liquor license application of any other type within the City of Bethel?
Yes: 205
No: 496
Proposition 5: Should the City of Bethel support the City to apply for a liquor license and the operation of a city owned liquor store?
Yes: 304
No: 396
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