ROME TOWNSHIP — Voters in decided against two local options to allow alcohol sales at a convenience store in Rome Township.

A local option for sales of beer, wine and mixed beverages at the Proctorville Shell was rejected, 238-218, in Tuesday’s general election.

(The station is located at 7929 County Road 107 and has a Proctorville mailing address, but is outside village limits.)

A similar measure for Sunday sales of wine and mixed beverages at the station was also voted down, by a greater margin of 258 to 196 votes.

A group of citizens had organized a campaign against the sales.

Sandy Joseph, who campaigned against the sales, said she had concerns about the proximity of the station to Fairland schools, where she works.

“It’s about the safety of children,” she said.

The two options may have been the reason for an increase in turnout in the precinct.

According to the Lawrence County Board of Elections, 50.27 percent of voters turned out in the precinct (in unofficial results), higher than the county turnout of 40.90 percent.

The county’s turnout was down from the last midterm election in 2018, when 45.99 percent of voters reported to the polls. There were no contested countywide offices on Tuesday’s ballot, a rarity for the county and voters decided on mostly state and federal races.