Liquor sale option to remain on Nov. ballot

LISBON -- An option to allow Sunday liquor sales in Elkton Precinct in Elkrun Township will remain on the November ballot.
Columbiana County Board of Elections ruled Thursday that petitions circulated by Patrick Chrystal, who does business as Patrick's Chop House, 42087 state Route 154, Elkton, were four votes short to get on the ballot.
At Chrystal's request, two men appeared and said under oath they had signed the petitions. One man's signature had been eliminated by elections workers because it did not look like the official one kept on file at the board. In the second, the signer deleted a middle initial and "Jr." from his signature kept at the board.
The board waited for two more expected signers whose signatures were rejected, but they called to say they could not make it.
But a husband and wife appeared and testified they had both signed. The board had dropped their signatures because it appeared both were written by the same person. The wife said she had written in the addresses but she and her husband had signed.
After the testimonies, the board reversed itself and voted to place the liquor option on the ballot.
If approved, the option would allow the sale of beer, wine, mixed beverages and spirituous liquors on Sundays.