The Oglala Sioux Tribe Election Commission has set a date of  Tuesday, August 13th, for a special election on legalizing alcohol on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The polls will be open that day from 9 am to 7 pm.

A narrowly divided Tribal Council in June decided to let tribal members decide whether to allow alcohol on the officially dry reservation that still has rampant alcoholism from beer and other spirits bootlegged in from Whiteclay and other towns.

The tribe has set up a website, www.ostreferendum.org, to provide information to voters, and it includes a copy of a proposed Alcoholic Beverage Code to give members an idea of how the tribe might regulate the sale of liquor on the reservation.

Supporters believe liquor sales will sharply reduce bootlegging, give the tribe more ability to regulate alcohol consumption on the reservation, and bring in new revenue that could be used for alcohol treatment, prevention, and education.

Opponents, including Oglala Sioux President Bryan Brewer, say legalizing liquor will only lead to more alcohol consumption, more alcoholism, and more social problems.

Federal law bans the sale of alcohol on American Indian reservations unless a tribal council allows it. Most tribes in the 48 contiguous states do allow alcohol, but many  limit it to gaming facilities or tourist businesses.

The Pine Ridge Reservation has been dry since its creation in1889 except for a brief stretch two-month stretch in 1970. The most recent attempt to allow alcohol was made in 2004, but failed to clear the tribal council.