Here's What You Need to Know for Georgia's Runoff Election

Georgia will hold a runoff election on Dec. 6 after neither Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock nor Republican challenger Herschel Walker received 50% of the vote on Nov. 8. This is one of the most competitive Senate races in recent election cycles. 

The Dec. 6 runoff, if won by Democrats, could give the party a 51-49 majority. Democrats have already secured 50 Senate seats, including narrow incumbent victories in Nevada and Arizona and a flipped GOP-held Pennsylvania seat. 

Here’s everything you need to know for the Georgia runoff.

Voting: Absentee ballot, early voting, and more

• It’s not too late to request an absentee ballot for this election. You can submit your application for an absentee ballot by Nov. 28, which is the same day that early voting starts. 
• If you’re voting in person, you will go to the same polling location you voted at on Nov. 8. You can find that location here.
• Unfortunately, it’s too late to register to vote in the runoff election. But don’t worry, even if you didn't vote in the Georgia election this past Election Day, you could still vote in the runoff election. 
  
  
  

Democrats fighting for early voting rights

• Georgia Democrats are suing the state for forbidding early voting right after Thanksgiving and a state holiday that once honored Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Democrats prompted the lawsuit after the state decided this past weekend to prohibit voting “if the second Saturday before the runoff follows a Thursday or Friday that is a state holiday.”
• Democrat Sen. Raphael G. Warnock, the Georgia Democratic Party, and the Democrats Senate campaign arm filed the lawsuit, saying that the decision deprives voters of their right to vote during the advanced voting period permitted by Georgia law. 
• Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger accused Democrats of seeking to change the law to confuse and pressure voters and to help their political agenda. Raffensperger previously said that the state would offer early voting Saturday, Nov. 26, which his staff later declared not possible under state law. The early voting period is now set for Nov. 28 to Dec. 2, which does not include any weekend days.

The impact of Trump’s announcement 

• Republicans are in debate over which wing of the party is best fit to help Herschel Walker win in Georgia. Many state GOP activists are concerned by the potential impact of Former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign launch as it could deter moderate Republican voters from turning out for the runoff election. Some Trump supporters from the state urged him to delay his campaign launch so it wouldn’t depress turnout. 
• Non-Trump-supporting Republicans are attempting to differentiate themselves from Trump supporters as many are concerned about further election denial and wavering faith in democracy that came with Trump’s presidency. 

Are you prepared for Georgia's runoff election?

-Jamie Epstein