McClouth ? Charles Karmann gets to keep his liquor store open.

An unofficial total of 276 people voted “no” to the question on the ballot that read: “No retailer’s license shall be issued for premises within the city of McLouth, Kansas, for the sale of retail alcoholic liquor in the original package.”

Another 100 voters cast “yes” ballots to the question.

“I knew I’d probably win just from the support I had in town, but I thought it would be a little closer,” Karmann said.

Karmann opened his liquor store in August after changes in the state’s liquor law allowed liquor stores to become legal in all Kansas cities as long as they were at least 200 feet from churches and schools. The city of McLouth could have imposed its own stricter ordinances but did not. That allowed Karmann to take advantage of the law changes and open his store.

A petition drive launched after the store opened brought the issue to the ballot box. Store opponents could launch another petition drive and bring the issue to a vote again in the spring elections.

Dee Hornback, one of the people who circulated the petition to bring about Tuesday night’s vote, said she had no comment other than to say voters spoke at the polls.