Correction-Early Voting Starts Today for December 4th House District 28 Special Primary

Early voting for the special primary for House District 28 begins today, and there could be at least one November run-off election, but there are no ballots available for it yet.

There looks like there could be a run-off for the Secretary of State’s office between Republican Brad Raffensberger and Democrat John Darrow.

Neither received the required 50% plus one majority of the vote.

However, two lawsuits filed over the weekend in the Governor’s race, plus the extension of the certification deadline to Friday are holding up the run-off process.

“We’re still in the process of certifying Stephens County, which is due tomorrow,” Stephens County Registrar Bill Cochran said Monday. “And I’ve not gotten anything from the State about run-offs or recounts or anything. I’m just getting ready for Tuesday’s early voting.”

As of Monday, provisional votes were still being counted in counties around the state.

That means that even though technically early voting for the December 4th run-off starts today, there are no ballots available yet for voters.

But early voting does start today for the May Primary re-run of the House District 28 race between incumbent Republican Representative Dan Gasaway and challenger Republican businessman Chris Erwin.

Voters in House District 28, which includes Banks, Stephens. and part of Habersham counties must decide again on December 4th who wins that race after Gasaway won a lawsuit in Superior Court claiming some voters in Habersham County received the wrong ballots.

But, not all registered voters will be able to cast a ballot in the District 28 race because of the Judge’s ruling at a hearing in September.

“There’s some parameters around this election (House 28 Special Primary),” he explained. “If a voter voted Democrat in the May Primary, they cannot vote in this one. The voters have to have been registered to vote by April 24th. They either voted Republican or Non-Partisan in the May Primary or did not vote. Or, have not subsequently become ineligible to vote (in the House District 28 special primary) by either moving out of the District or by felony conviction.”

Cochran said they will have a list from the Secretary of State’s office of eligible voters for the House District 28 Special Primary.

Early voting for the December 4th run-off and May Special Primary for the House District 28 race will run through Friday November 30th at the County Registrar’s office.

“Early voting starts at 8a to 5p today through Friday. There will be a Saturday voting time on the 17th from 9a to 4p. Next week, there will only be three days to vote from Monday – Wednesday and will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday. We will start back up the following week from Monday through Friday from 8a to 5p,” Cochran explained.

Cochran said he does not know when he will hear from the Secretary of State’s office on the November Election or December run-off.

WNEG News will continue to follow the State races and bring you the latest on the status of the Governor’s race and the December 4th run-off.