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Townsend voters approved wine sales by 21 votes Tuesday, with 127 residents voting in favor and 106 against it.

Townsend Vice Mayor Ron Palewski said the people supporting wine sales at area restaurants are trying to improve the sales tax base in the city.

Unofficially, 233 votes were cast, with 54.5 percent favoring wine sales and 45.4 percent opposed.

The hope is that more restaurants will locate in Townsend if they are able to sell wine, Palewski said.

“A lot of people like to have wine after a meal,” he said.

Businessman got enough signatures

Townsend businessman Tim Byrd obtained the necessary signatures to get the wine referendum on the ballot today.

According to Blount County Administrator of Elections Libby Breeding, 189 people voted in the last general election in 2006 in Townsend and 10 percent of that figure was required to get the wine referendum on the ballot.

While 19 names were necessary, Byrd handed in a petition with signatures of more than 30 registered voters to Townsend City Commission. The city commission then asked Blount County Election Commission to place it on the ballot.

Breeding said 30 of those signing the petition were found to be registered voters in Townsend.

A liquor-by-the-drink referendum was on the ballot in the 2006 general election, which failed by nine votes with 96 opposed and 87 in favor.

Holly Seymour, of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s Knoxville officer, earlier said the minimum seating required to serve wine is 40, as opposed to liquor which requires 75 seats.

Palewski said Townsend has more restaurants that could qualify with 40 seats than 75.