A judge on Friday ordered a rare second do-over election for a northeast Georgia House seat, finding that four voters didn’t live in the district, throwing its outcome into doubt. The new election means that voters will return to the polls for a third time to decide between Republicans Dan Gasaway and Chris Erwin. Erwin appeared to win the first redo of the election in December by just two votes, but Senior Superior Court Judge David Sweat decided Friday that four voters had moved out of House District 28 more than 30 days before the election. Because the contest was so close, the judge found that the four improper votes justified a new election. “If you’re in an election, you should want to win it legally. We all should,” Gasaway said. “I don’t know that I’ll win, but if I win I want it to be a legal election, and if I lose I want it to be a legal election.”
Erwin, who took office in January, must step down while the outcome of the race remains in doubt, said Gasaway’s attorney, Jake Evans.
“We are certainly disappointed by today’s court decision overturning fair election results, but we look forward to one more opportunity to run and win this race for a third time in a row,” Erwin said.
The first time the candidates met in May’s Republican primary election, Erwin had a 67-vote lead until Gasaway discovered that mapping mistakes incorrectly placed dozens of Habersham County voters in the wrong House district. Sweat ordered a new election in September.
Full Article: Judge orders second redo of Georgia House election..