The refrigerated beer cases in Carters­ville grocery and convenience stores will be lit up on Sundays if voters approve a referendum in the Nov. 8 municipal election.

In fact, shoppers in Bartow, Polk and Gordon counties all could have additional opportunities to buy alcohol because of various proposals on their ballots along with other races.

The Georgia General Assembly passed legislation this year to allow Sunday package sales and this is the first opportunity for local jurisdictions to include the issue on a ballot. More than 100 cities have scheduled votes.

Rockmart has two proposals: Sunday beer and wine package sales and Sunday alcohol sales in city restaurants.

Cartersville is offering an option to expand package sales to Sundays, starting at 12:30 p.m. 

The city of Kingston has four referendums to decide, starting with the issue of allowing restaurants to serve liquor by the drink during the week. The three separate Sunday sales proposals cover alcohol service at restaurants, beer and wine package sales and liquor package sales.

Fairmount is not considering Sunday sales, but its referendum would allow local restaurants to sell liquor by the drink.

Only registered voters who live inside the city limits are eligible to weigh in.

Voters can check the Georgia Secretary of State website at sos.georgia.gov/mvp for personalized information about their status, polling place and a sample ballot.

Here’s a look at the elections in Northwest Georgia:

Floyd County

Rome had planned a Sunday package sales vote but delayed it to next year when no challengers emerged for its scheduled City Commission races and the election was canceled. 

Commissioners Buzz Wachsteter, Milton Slack III, Evie McNiece, Bill Collins and Kim Canada will start new four-year terms in January. 

Bill Irmscher, the only qualifier, will take over the seat of Commissioner Wright Bagby Jr., who did not seek re-election. 

Cave Spring Mayor Rob Ware and City Councilwoman Nellie McCain are

unopposed for new terms, but there’s a contest between incumbent councilwoman Mary Littlejohn and challenger Rebecca Francois.

There’s also an unexpected vacancy on the five-seat City Council because of the death of Kenneth Kelley. The

board plans to appoint someone after the election to serve his unexpired term, which runs through 2013.

Bartow County

Bartow voters countywide are being asked to extend the existing SPLOST for six more years. The collection would raise an estimated $220 million. The big-ticket projects in the package include a state-of-the-art emergency communications system and a landfill expansion. 

Cartersville Mayor Matt Santini is unopposed for a new term.

In the city school board races, Saunders Jones III is challenging incumbent Linda Parris Benton for the at-large school seat; Clift Dempsey and Travis Popham are vying for the Ward 3 seat and Ward 4 incumbent Pat Broadnax is unopposed.

No challengers emerged for the open City Council seats. Incumbents Jayce B. Stepp. Lindsey McDaniel and Lori Pruitt will start new terms in January.

Emerson Mayor Al Pallone is unopposed.

Three candidates are vying for two at-large City Council seats: Charles Lowry, Gary Twelkemeier and incumbent Terry Webb.

Voters also will decide on several homestead exemption proposals to give property tax breaks to disabled, elderly or low-income residents.

Euharlee’s two open City Council seats have drawn four contenders: Craig Guyton, Jimmy Tilley and incumbents William Eubanks and Steve Worth­ington.

White has three candidates running for two open City Council seats: Jimmy Bennett, Charles Buttrum and incumbent Lavonda Roberts. The top two vote-getters win the seats.

Kingston Mayor Dexter Jones is being challenged by Ronald Casey and Mack Sanders.

In addition to four alcohol referendums, voters also will decide two City Council races. 

The Post 2 race is between Harold Posey and incumbent Billy Sanders. The Post 3 race is between Vivian Shaw and incumbent Chuck Wise Jr.

Chattooga County

Summerville residents have four City Council seats to fill, including a special election for the Post 2 seat vacated by Kevin Gilliland.

Robert McWhorter and Lloyd D. “Buddy” Windle III are seeking the Post 2 seat.

Windle currently holds the Post 3 seat. Dale Housch is unopposed to replace him.

Richard Lindsay and Joe Money Jr. are vying for the Post 4 City Council seat. Post 5 incumbent Zachary Martin is facing a challenge from John “JT” Turner.

Menlo Mayor Theresa Canada is unopposed for a new term, as is Councilman Chuck Powell. Virginia J. Welch is the lone candidate for Post 2.

Patricia Bentley and Jeff Minchew are vying for the Post 5 seat.

Trion residents have three Freeport ballot questions to decide. Tax breaks are on the table for companies’ finished goods, raw goods and merchandise ready to be shipped.

No incumbents are running for the four open city council and school board seats.

Thomas Venn is unopposed for the Post 4 City Council slot while Tonya Abernathy and Christy Slayton are vying for the Post 5 slot.

In the school board election, Kari Lynn Maddux and Charles Martin are squaring off for the Post 4 seat. Joe Middleton is unopposed for the Post 5 seat.

Polk County

Rockmart Mayor Curtis Lewis is facing challenges from Mike Bradley, Steve Miller and Brenda Parker. Voters also have two Sunday sales questions to decide.

In the City Council races, JoJo Henderson and Jimmy McDowell are vying for the Ward 1 seat; James Payne is unopposed for the Ward 2 seat; and Rick Stone is unopposed for the Ward 5 seat.

Cedartown voters will choose among three candidates for two at-large City Council seats. On the ballot are Stephen Molock and incumbents Gary Martin and Dale Tuck.

Aragon Mayor Brenda Gazaway is being challenged by Ken Suffridge. 

Voters also will fill two at-large City Council seats from the roster of John Akins, Curtis Burris, Judd Fee and Charles Hunter Spinks. 

Gordon County

All registered voters in Gordon County have a SPLOST referendum to decide.

The proposal is for a 1-cent special purpose, local option sales tax for six years, to raise $51.6 million. A countywide public safety communication system, health department and animal shelter are among the planned projects.

Calhoun voters will decide between incumbent Al Edwards and challenger Lorene Potts for the City Council Post 2 seat. Mayor Jimmy Palmer and Post 1 City Councilman George Crowley are unopposed. 

Both city school board seats are contested. Incumbent Eddie Reeve and Trey Pierson are vying for Post 4 and the Post 5 race is between incumbent Tony Swink and Debra Moyer.

Resaca Mayor Samuel Allen is unopposed for a new term. The two open Town Council seats are contested.

Post 1 incumbent Jimmy F. Brown is being challenged by Troy Brant Talley.

Post 2 incumbent Jean Makonis is opposed by Johnny D. Brown.

Fairmount residents have three contested races to decide in addition to the liquor-by-the-drink referendum.

Steve Brannon is challenging incumber Harry Pierce for the mayoral seat. 

In the City Council Post 2 race, Jeff Crook and Larry Rogers are vying with Linda Sledge Johnson, who currently holds the Post 4 seat.

In the Post 4 race, Teddy Lapaquette and Jerry Mauldin are on the ballot with Calvin Watts, the Post 2 incumbent.

Plainville city elections were canceled when no challengers emerged for Mayor Sally Johnston and Councilman Ray Black. The seat held by Councilman Greg Martin failed to attract takers after Martin decided not to seek re-election. 

Walker County

LaFayette has some hotly contested City Council races, with nine political newcomers vying for two seats being vacated by the incumbents. 

At-large Councilman Wayne Swanson is unopposed.

Candidates for Councilman Bill Craig’s Ward 3 seat are Jerry Rogers, Stacey Suttle, Judy Meeks and Chris Hollis.

Those seeking Councilman Eric Tallent’s Ward 4 seat are Christopher Davis, Kevin Robinson, Joe DeBord, Melvin Bridges and Donnie McGaha.

There’s also a special election to finish the unexpired term of Councilman Norm Hodge, who moved out of the city. Ben Bradford, Dell Montgomery and Don Keith Talley are vying for the Ward 2 seat.

Chickamauga Mayor Ray Crowder is unopposed for re-election.

Two at-large City Council seat races have drawn Al Graham and incumbents Daymon Garrett and Robert “Robbie” Robertson.

The two open school board seats are being sought by Jim Powell and incumbents David Askew and Grant Parrish. Askew was appointed in August to a vacated seat.

Rossville Mayor Johnny Baker stepped down to run for one of two open City Council seats. 

Teddy Harris and Bill Eaves are vying for the top slot. Competing with Baker for Council seats are Charles Wilson, Jesse Harrell, Cindy Bradshaw and incumbent Hal Gray.

Catoosa County

A special election is scheduled to fill the unexpired term of County Commissioner Ken Marks, who resigned to run in the Fort Oglethorpe mayoral election.

The District 1 County Commission race only involves the Lakeview, Chambers and Fort Oglethorpe precincts. Judd Burkhart and Jeff Long are vying for the seat.

Marks is battling incumbent Lynn Long for the Fort Oglethorpe mayoral seat. The two City Council seats also have drawn contests.

Ward 1 incumbent Johnny “Red” Smith is facing newcomers Derek Rogers and Steve Lanier.

Ward 4 incumbent Charles Sharrock has challenges from former councilmen Harold Silcox and Steve Brandon.