Voters in Habersham, Banks, and Stephens counties will head to the polls on April 9 for another redo of the House District 28 Republican primary.
Today, Judge David Sweat signed an official order scheduling the election. He also vacated the House seat currently held by Rep. Chris Erwin, effectively immediately.
This will be the third election for the seat in less than a year. The judge threw out the results of two previous primaries because of voting errors in Habersham County.
In an attempt to avoid another voided election, the judge is requiring the boards of elections in all three counties to create approved voter lists ahead of the April 9 primary. Voters must meet the following guidelines to be eligible:
- They were or should have been eligible to vote in the May 22, 2018 General Primary
- The voter did not request a Democratic ballot in the May 22, 2018 General Primary Election
- They did not become ineligible to vote in House District 28 in the Nov. 6, 2018 General Election
The boards of elections must provide their approved voter lists to candidates Chris Erwin and Dan Gasaway by March 1. The candidates will then have five days to object to any of the names on the list. If they do, the election boards will have until March 11 to rule on those objections.
Any voter excluded by an objection will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot. If it’s later determined that they’re eligible, their vote will be counted.
Judge Sweat’s ruling means House District 28 will not have a representative in the State House for the rest of this legislative session.
