Councilman Robert Socha.
Courtesy | City of Hillsdale
Ward 4 Councilman Robert Socha is once again leading a ballot petition to overturn a 46-year-old Hillsdale County law prohibiting serving alcoholic spirits on Sundays.
“Out of 83 counties in the state of Michigan, we are the only one where restaurants and bars can’t serve liquor on Sundays,” Socha said.
He said he first learned about the prohibition, known as a “blue law,” when he looked into starting a restaurant after moving to Hillsdale in 2013. He led a movement to overturn the law in 2024 but did not reach the required number of signatures to make it on the ballot.
The law prohibiting Sunday liquor sales was approved by nearly 60% of Hillsdale County voters during the 1980 general election.
“Since the people put it on the ballot by a vote of the people, you have to have a vote of the people to remove it,” Socha said.
John Biscaro, bar manager and wine director at Dante’s Fine Wines and Spirits, said he supports overturning the law.
“To my knowledge, the blue law is an older law left over from when Hillsdale was more of a teetotaler town. I think that if it’s repealed, we’ll see a lot of good economic growth in the town,” Biscaro said.
Biscaro said the blue law deters businesses from opening in Hillsdale as few businesses will want to give up an income source like alcohol sales on Sundays.
Socha said he has worked with owners and employees at local restaurants to collect signatures for the petition.
“If we succeed, more restaurants will be open in our county on Sundays, and we’ll have more choices,” Socha said. “More people will stay in Hillsdale County on Sundays instead of leaving and going to Jackson or Ohio.”
According to County Clerk Abe Dane, at least 1,482 Hillsdale voters must sign Socha’s petition by July 28 in order for the initiative to be on November’s ballot. This number is required by state law and equals 8% of the total number of votes cast in the county for all secretary of state candidates in 2022.
Dane said the signatures Socha gathered in 2024 are still valid — so long as the signee is still registered to vote in the county and has not moved away.
Socha said interested Hillsdale voters should contact him via the city council website, and that petition copies are located at Dante’s and Here’s to You Pub & Grub.
State Rep. Jennifer Wortz, a Republican who represents Hillsdale and Branch counties, introduced a bill in April 2025 that would lower the required signature threshold to 5% and clarify the ballot language.
According to Jonathan Meckel ’21, legislative director for Wortz, the bill passed the State House with overwhelming support in September.
“The bill is currently in the Senate Committee on Regulatory Affairs, which is chaired by Senator Jeremy Moss,” Meckel said. “My staff has been in touch with his office, and I sent him a hearing request letter. We are hopeful that we can get a hearing scheduled soon.”
Senior Joseph Buff said he is registered to vote in Hillsdale and will sign Socha’s petition.
“We should be allowed to enjoy a cocktail, to relax and hang out with friends on the Lord’s day. I don’t think there’s anything inherently immoral or unholy about enjoying one or two cocktails on Sunday,” Buff said.
Buff previously attempted to order liquor on a Sunday in Hillsdale but was unsuccessful.
“The founders defined liberty as the ability to do what’s right,” Buff said. “Sometimes, having a cocktail on Sunday is what’s right.”
