Cedar Bluff voters Tuesday decisively passed a referendum that will allow the sale and distribution of alcohol in the Cedar Bluff town limits.

The vote was expected to be close, but it turned out to be a nearly 3 to 1 margin. There were 649 voting yes and 239 voting no.

"I'm absolutely stunned by the vote," said Cedar Bluff Mayor Bob Davis. "I'm very stunned and very pleased with the vote."

The mayor also expressed satisfaction with the number who voted. "We had close to 90 percent turnout," he said of the 888 who cast ballots. More than 1,200 registered voters are listed for Cedar Bluff, but about 250 to 300 of those live outside the town limits and were not eligible to vote on the referendum..

"I want to thank the people of Cedar Bluff," Mayor Davis continued. "They should be proud of the turnout. I appreciate all the citizens of Cedar Bluff turning out."

Davis turned his thoughts to an injunction filed last Friday that seeks to declare the vote unconstitional. "I hope we can resolve the lawsuit and move on," Davis said.

Earlier, Davis said the time frame could be several months before establishments could be selling and distributing alcoholic beverages. He said it could be the end of this year or the first of next year before everything is in place