The election was over in Jeffersonville. It was Tuesday night, going on closing time at J’ville Package store on North Railroad Street. A customer walked in with the news.

“You got lucky,” she told the clerk. “You almost had to work on Sundays. It didn’t pass by one vote.”

The customer was talking about a referendum that, had it passed, would have allowed Sunday alcohol sales in Jeffersonville, a city of 764 registered voters.

Eighty-nine voted yes.

Ninety voted no.

But word was slow to get out.

Wednesday morning, a customer called J’ville Package clerk Josh Dixon to ask if the store would be opening on Sundays now.

Umm, no.

“He hadn’t realized that the referendum hadn’t passed by one vote until I told him,” Dixon said.

“I know there were people that when they heard about it they were kicking themselves, thinking, ‘If I’d gone up there and voted ...’ But, you know, these are the same people that always say they’re going to go vote but never do.”

Lately, Twiggs County has had its share of close races.

In Danville, a town of 350 just down U.S. 80 from Jeffersonville, last fall’s mayoral election was decided by one vote, 49-48.

Marette Fair, the county’s elections superintendent, said three or four folks called her office Wednesday about the Sunday-alcohol-sales issue, wondering how there could be yet another single-vote margin.

“And we’re saying, ‘Well, because that’s how the votes came out,’ ” Fair said.

“I talked to another elections superintendent (Wednesday) and told her about it. She said, ‘No, you’re kidding?’ I said, ‘No, I wish I was.’ ... It’s like, you don’t want to run in our county because you’ll only win or lose by one vote.”

To contact writer Joe Kovac Jr., call 744-4397.