21-only going to Iowa City voters

For the second time in three years, voters will decide how old someone must be to enter an Iowa City bar at night.

As expected, the City Council Monday night chose to put the so-called 21-only issue to a public vote on Nov. 2.

That puts voters in the rare position of having the ultimate say over something first decided by the council.

The council this spring approved a new law increasing the minimum bar-entry age from 19 to 21 after 10 p.m.

A petition drive led by University of Iowa students and downtown bar owners and employees then collected enough signatures to force the council to either repeal the law or send it to voters.

Monday night's process actually involved two actions. First, the council voted 6-1 against repealing the 21-only law. Regenia Bailey, who opposes 21-only, cast the only vote in favor of repealing.

The council then voted 7-0 to put the measure on the Nov. 2 ballot.

No one from the public or the council commented on the looming battle, but campaigning has already kicked off and is sure to intensify as Election Day approaches.

The two sides in the debate have been through this before.

In 2007, a proposal to increase the minimum bar-entry age to 21 was defeated with the help of high student turnout.

This time, though the issue is the same, voters will be asked whether they want to return the bar-entry age back to 19.