UNION — Voters in Union will see one municipal warrant at the November polls with the lone municipal question pertaining to whether agency liquor stores should be allowed to operate within the town Mondays through Saturdays. 

The question is: Shall this municipality authorize the State to permit the operation of agency liquor stores on days other than Sunday? 

The State of Maine defines agency liquor stores as “a person who is licensed by the bureau to sell spirits to be consumed off the premises.” 

As of now, the town of Union is considered a dry town and hard liquor cannot be sold by businesses within the town. 

The referendum arose from one local merchant who gathered signatures to petition to the town place the article before voters in November.

If voters approve this referendum, hard liquor will be permitted to be sold all days of the week, except for Sundays.  

According to Maine Legislature Statutes Title 28-A, Chapter 19 §453, the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operation may license up to three agency liquor stores in a municipality with a population of at least 2,000 but less than 5,001. According to the 2010 Census, Union has a population of 2,259.

However, the Bureau “may issue one additional liquor store license beyond those otherwise authorized by this subsection in a municipality with a population of less than 10,000” and “may consider the impact of seasonal population or tourism and other related information provided by the municipality requesting an additional agency liquor store license.”