§ 18B-604.  Timing and effect of subsequent elections.

(a) Time Limits. - No county alcoholic beverage election may be held within three years of the certification of the results of a previous election on the same kind of alcoholic beverages in that county. No city alcoholic beverage election may be held within three years of the certification of the results of a previous election on the same kind of alcoholic beverage in that city. Otherwise, alcoholic beverage elections may be held at any time, subject to the applicable provisions of this Chapter and Chapter 163.

(b) Effect of Favorable County Vote on City or Township. - If a majority of voters vote in favor of certain alcoholic beverage sales in a county election, sale of that kind of alcoholic beverage shall be lawful throughout the county, regardless of the vote in any city or township at that or any previous or subsequent election, and regardless of any local act making sales unlawful in that city or township, unless the local act was ratified before the effective date of Article II, Section 24(1)(j) of the Constitution of North Carolina. A county malt beverage or unfortified [wine] election in favor of a particular ballot proposition which is more restrictive than the form of sale already allowed in a city or township within that county shall not affect the legality of those previously authorized sales in the city or township.

(c) Effect of Negative County Vote on City or Township. - If a majority of voters vote against certain alcoholic beverage sales in a county election, sale of that kind of alcoholic beverage shall be unlawful throughout the county, except that sale of that alcoholic beverage shall remain lawful in any city or township in which sale is lawful because of a city or township election or a local act.

(d) Effect of City or Township Election on County. - A city or township alcoholic beverage election shall not affect the lawfulness of sale in any part of the county outside that city or township.

(e) Repealed by Session Laws 2003-218, s. 2, effective June 19, 2003.

(f) When Sales Stop. - When the sale of any alcoholic beverage that was previously lawful becomes unlawful because of an election, the sale of that alcoholic beverage shall cease 90 days after certification of the results of the election. (1937, c. 49, ss. 25, 26; c. 431; 1947, c. 1084, ss. 1, 2, 4; 1951, c. 999, ss. 1, 2; 1957, c. 816; 1963, c. 265, ss. 1-3; 1965, c. 506; 1969, c. 647, s. 1; 1971, c. 872, s. 1; 1973, cc. 32, 33; 1977, c. 149, s. 1; c. 182, s. 2; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1138, s. 15; 1979, c. 140, ss. 2, 3; c. 609, s. 1; c. 683, s. 13; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1174; 1981, c. 412, s. 2; 1993, c. 415, s. 29; 2003-218, s. 2; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, ss. 3.1(a), (b), 6.1.)