Whether St. Tammany Parish voters want to allow a casino is a question that can only be answered at the ballot box. But now there’s a more immediate question: Will there be a vote on Dec. 11?

Last month, legal efforts to stop the vote on a Slidell area casino appeared dead when 22nd Judicial District Judge John Keller ruled that a lawsuit challenging the election was premature and the Dec. 11 referendum should go forward.

But this week, an appellate court disagreed with Keller, raising the possibility that voters might not have the opportunity to weigh in next month on whether Peninsula Pacific Entertainment can build a $325 million casino resort at the foot of the Interstate 10 twin spans near Slidell.