Voters in Collingswood, New Jersey, decided Tuesday to end a liquor ban that had stood in the Camden County borough for 138 years, approving a binding referendum that clears the way for businesses to sell alcohol for the first time in generations.
About 3,500 residents voted to lift the ban, against roughly 2,300 who wanted to keep the town dry, according to NJ.com. Nearly half of Collingswood’s approximately 14,000 residents turned out for the vote.
Town officials said in a statement that they intend to move carefully as they implement the result. “The outcome represents an important change for Collingswood, and the governing body is committed to approaching the next steps thoughtfully, transparently and in a manner that reflects the interests of the community,” the statement read.
Before issuing any licenses, the borough plans to set rules governing operating hours and permit fees. Up to four liquor licenses will be made available to local businesses, according to the group that led the push for repeal.
Even under prohibition, Collingswood allowed some narrow exceptions — craft beer and wine made within New Jersey could already be sold in town under specific carve-outs.
How the vote came together
The referendum reached the ballot after a petition drive gathered signatures from 15% of the borough’s qualified voters, a threshold that forced local commissioners to put the question before residents on Election Day.
The effort was organized under the name “Booze on the Ballot” by residents who argued that ending the ban would help local merchants compete. “It isn’t just about ordering a drink at dinner — it’s about giving our local business district the tools to thrive in a changing economic landscape,” the campaign said on its website.
Had the measure failed, state rules would have barred Collingswood from holding another such referendum until 2031. The town’s last attempt to end prohibition came 91 years ago, on Nov. 5, 1935, when voters rejected the idea.
Collingswood is not the only Camden County town to recently abandon a long-standing dry law. In 2024, neighboring Haddon Heights voters repealed a 120-year-old ban on alcohol sales, with 62% supporting a measure allowing liquor sales at restaurants, bars and retail stores, according to county results.
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