How the Georgia Senate runoff will work

Washington CNN  — 

If Georgia voters had been hoping to keep away from speaking politics at Thanksgiving, the state’s tightly contested Senate race has different plans.

Neither Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock nor Republican challenger Herschel Walker surpassed the 50% threshold wanted to win the race outright Tuesday night, CNN initiatives, forcing a runoff election set for December 6.

However what precisely does that imply? And the way will the runoff election work?

Right here’s what it’s essential know.

A runoff is an extra election used to find out the winner of a sure race when neither candidate earns the required threshold for victory – on this case, 50%.

In Georgia, runoffs are extra easy than basic elections in that the candidate with essentially the most votes wins.

Georgia’s high elections official, Brad Raffensperger, stated counties are already getting ready for the December 6 election, and voters can request absentee ballots beginning Wednesday by November 28 through the state’s on-line portal.

Early voting should start by November 28 in all counties, however Raffensperger stated his workplace anticipates some counties may have early voting on Saturday, November 26 or Sunday, November 27. “We’re working with the counties to search out out what their plans are on this entrance,” he stated.

Notably, the logistics of the 2022 runoff shall be completely different than in years handed. The 2021 Georgia regulation that minimize the size of runoffs from 9 weeks to 4 signifies that the deadline for a brand new voter to register for the runoff election has already handed.

Put merely, quite a bit.

Relying on the end result of Senate races in Arizona and Nevada, voters in Georgia may then – for the second consecutive election cycle – have the Senate majority of their arms.

Prime officers from the Democratic and Republican events advised CNN they intend to double down on their important investments in Georgia, with an rising assumption that management of the Senate may hinge on the end result of the runoff.

In short remarks on Tuesday evening, Walker requested supporters gathered in a resort ballroom to “cling in there a bit bit longer.”

“I’m telling you proper now – I didn’t come to lose,” Walker stated.

Warnock, in the meantime, advised supporters early Wednesday morning, “We’re undecided if this journey is over in the present day, or if there’s nonetheless a bit work but to do, however right here’s what we do know: We all know that after they’re completed counting the votes from in the present day’s election, that we’re going to have obtained extra votes than my opponent.”

Each candidates are anticipated to talk later Wednesday, aides stated, with particular plans nonetheless in flux.