Time running out for early voting in critical U.S. Senate races

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. – Georgia voters have only four more days to cast an early vote in the crucial General Election U.S. Senate runoff. Advance voting ends Thursday (Dec. 31). Election Day is Jan. 5

Until then, all voting will take place at the Elections Office, 56 Short Street in Dahlonega between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Election Day is Jan. 5 when all precincts will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

As of last Wednesday, when the Elections Office closed for the Christmas Holiday, 5,172 in-person votes had been cast in Lumpkin County, representing approximately 22 percent of the county’s 23,000 registered voters, not bad for a runoff election.

According to the Georgia Votes website, approximately two million people have cast early ballots in Georgia. The election will determine which political party will holds the majority in the Senate during the first two years of President Joe Biden’s administration.

To flip control, the Democrats must win both races. If Democrat Jon Ossoff defeats incumbent Sen. David Perdue and Rev. Raphael Warnock defeats Kelly Loeffler, the Senate will be split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris would be cast a tie-breaking vote.