3,506 voters end Collingswood's 100-year alcohol ban

Collingswood residents voted Tuesday to end more than a century of local prohibition. The ballot measure to permit alcohol sales passed with a margin of 1,184 votes, marking the conclusion of an era for the Camden County borough.

The question reached the ballot through a petition drive. State law requires signatures from at least 15% of voters from the previous general election to place such a measure on the ballot. The advocacy group Booze on the Ballot collected the necessary signatures, and the Collingswood Board of Commissioners approved the resolution in August.

Unofficial results from the Camden County Clerk’s Office show 3,506 voters in favor and 2,322 against. All 12 precincts in the borough reported. Once certified, the borough will move to establish a licensing framework. State law permits one liquor license for every 3,000 residents, a cap that will determine the total number of permits available in Collingswood.

The outcome is part of a wider trend in New Jersey. The state still has approximately 30 dry towns, a number that has decreased in recent years. Most of the remaining prohibition zones are located in South Jersey. Salem County has six dry towns, while Cumberland County has five. Camden County retains four, including Audubon Park and Haddonfield, which remain under their own bans.

Neighboring communities have recently followed a similar path. Haddon Heights repealed its ban in 2024 and sold its first retail liquor license at auction in September. Rutherford ended its 115-year prohibition in 2020 after a successful ballot measure. The first license in Rutherford went to a restaurant in 2023.

Not all communities have chosen to relax their rules. Ocean City in Cape May County maintains its status as a dry resort town. Founded in 1879 by Methodist ministers, the city remains the most well-known dry destination on the East Coast. The final certification of Collingswood's results will determine when the first local licenses can be issued.

The borough must now set annual fees and hold public presentations for prospective licensees. Mail-in and provisional ballots may not be included in the current unofficial count. The decision places Collingswood in the majority of New Jersey municipalities that have moved away from strict prohibition.