It’s now definite: A July 14 runoff will be necessary to fill the Georgia House District 24 seat in Forsyth County.
Top finisher Sheri Gilligan received 1,785 votes, or 49. 97 percent of the total in the June 16 special election, while second-place finisher David Van Sant polled 877 (24.5 percent). Forsyth County elections supervisor Barbara Luth said that three provisional ballots and one potential oversees absentee ballot were at issue, and that additional votes for Gillian could have put her over the 50 percent mark, avoiding a runoff.
Election board officials wound up approving only one of the provisional ballots, a vote for Van Sant, keeping Lanier Technical College instructor Gilligan short. The overseas ballot didn’t arrive.
State officials certified the results on Monday, June 22. Early voting in the runoff begins next week, said Luth. The winner will serve out the unexpired term of former State Rep. Mark Hamilton, who resigned.
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