Gwinnett Daily Post

Photo: David McGregor<BR> Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners District 2 candidate Lynette Howard, from right, Wayne Knox, and Mike Mason talk while getting an update on the election on Tuesday night in Norcross.

LAWRENCEVILLE -- Before a Republican will face off against the Democratic candidate for the District 2 Board of Commissioners seat in November, Gwinnett voters must once again head to the polls.

A runoff election will be held Aug. 10 to determine which of two candidates, Lynette Howard or Keith Shewbert, will vie for the seat against Democrat Robert Lee Byars, who ran unopposed in Tuesday's primary election.

Neither Howard nor Shewbert pulled the majority of votes necessary to secure the Republican nomination Tuesday. Howard drew the most votes with 41.8 percent of 8,688 total votes, according to unofficial voting results.

"I'm really proud of our campaign," Howard said Tuesday night. "We took the high road and haven't gone negative and I'm proud to say that does pay off with the voters."

Shewbert followed Howard with 33.93 percent of votes.

"We began as the underdog and are now the only true conservative in the race," Shewbert said. "Our opponent has publicly stated she will support a tax increase on the overburdened people of Gwinnett."

The third candidate, Jose Perez, garnered 24.27 percent of votes.

The runoff will be held Aug. 10.