Ballot Question To Expand Liquor Licenses Passes Key Hurdle

Whether stores like Cumberland Farms can begin selling beer and wine can be decided by voters in November, the state's highest court ruled.

The ballot question still needs more voter signatures to get on the November ballot, but Tuesday's ruling cleared the way for it to get there. The Supreme Judicial Court weighed in after a lawsuit from the Massachusetts Package Stores Association that argued the ballot question contained unrelated provisions — which is the same argument opponents used to stop the "millionaires tax" ballot question in 2018.

The court said the ballot question, which would allow for the creation of a new alcohol license for food stores to sell beer and wine and eliminate the cap on how many liquor licenses a retailer can own, were connected. The proposal would also increase resources to fight underage drinking and to help recovery.

The ballot question is backed by Cumberland Farms, which is based in Westborough. Victory in November would mean their stores, as well as other food stores and gas stations, could expand their inventory considerably.

It would also mean a defeat for liquor stores, which might lose their grip on being the primary source of beer and wine when people could pick up drinks at the nearest gas station or grocery store.

The ballot question still needs more than 13,000 additional signatures before the end of June to make it to November.