Collingswood, a suburb of Philadelphia, has voted to end an alcohol-sales ban that had been in place for more than 150 years.
On Nov. 3, voters in the New Jersey borough approved a measure allowing licensed businesses to sell alcoholic drinks for customers to consume on site. The question asked whether those sales should be permitted at licensed establishments.
Camden County election results showed 3,635 votes in favor and 2,381 against. The measure passed with about 60.4% support, a margin of 1,254 votes. All 12 precincts reported, with 6,016 votes cast on the question.
The restrictions trace back to 1873, when residents voted to prohibit alcohol sales in the area, which was then part of Haddon Township, according to a borough environmental inventory published in 2019.
Collingswood voters rejected a similar proposal in 1935, two years after Prohibition ended. That year, 3,859 people voted against allowing retail alcohol sales and liquor licenses, while 774 supported it, according to a state alcohol-control bulletin.
Deputy Mayor Amy Henderson Riley called the latest result historic. “After 91 years, Collingswood is no longer a dry town,” she wrote, referring to the 1935 vote.
The proposal had sparked debate online before the election. Some commenters argued that the borough’s restaurants deserved the option of serving alcohol, while others said they valued the town’s BYOB tradition and felt restaurants should succeed on the strength of their food.
The vote comes as another long-standing alcohol restriction is under review. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider a federal law dating to 1868 that bars people from distilling spirits at home, even for personal use.
