Errors cause judge to throw out Georgia election a 2nd time

A Georgia lawmaker who just took office is preparing to step down and run all over again after winning two elections that a judge says were tainted by illegal votes.

Rep. Chris Erwin says he’s frustrated having to start campaigning a third time after being sworn into office in the state House just last month.

Erwin defeated then-Rep. Dan Gasaway by 67 votes in the Republican primary last May in northeast Georgia’s District 28. Gasaway went to court and a judge found mapping errors had enabled people to vote who lived outside the lawmaker’s district. A new election was held Dec. 4 and Erwin won again by just two votes.

The same judge threw out that election too, ruling that at least four people cast illegal votes.

The winner of the primary gets the seat because no Democrats ran for it.