Midterm voters to weigh in on Sunday alcohol sales

Bentonville and Rogers may get a bit boozier this fall.

What's happening: Residents in both cities will be able to vote this November for or against allowing alcohol sales on Sundays. Keep Our Dollars Local, the campaign spearheaded by Walmart, announced on Monday that the drive successfully collected enough signatures to get the issue on the ballot.

Why it matters: The campaign's Clay Kendall previously told Axios that cities are missing out on tax revenue by not allowing alcohol sales on Sunday, and residents travel to other cities or out of the state to purchase alcohol anyhow.

State of play: It's illegal by default statewide for stores to sell alcohol on Sundays unless residents in wet counties vote to overturn the bans in their respective cities or counties.

• A total of 19 cities, including Benton and Washington counties' Springdale, Tontitown, Avoca, Pea Ridge, Garfield and Gentry, allow alcohol sales on Sundays, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

By the numbers: The Bentonville city clerk validated 2,300 signatures, and the Rogers city clerk approved 2,450, according to Keep Our Dollars Local.

• The petitions were required to have signatures from 15% of residents who voted in the last gubernatorial election in each city, which included 1,960 signatures in Bentonville and 2,423 signatures in Rogers.

Go deeper: Read a special edition of Axios NWA on Arkansas' alcohol laws.