For Democratic challengers Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, a success would imply that President-elect Joe Biden would have a lot simpler time going enactment through a Democrat-controlled House and Senate — however Ossoff and Warnock both need to dominate their races for that to occur.
Could there be a second runoff?
Yes, it’s possible, but it’s extremely unlikely. In Georgia, the only way a second runoff could happen is if both candidates receive the exact same number of votes. In the case of a tie, another runoff is held with only the tied race.
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When will we know the winners?
If November is any indication, it could be days before the winners are known. COVID-19 has led to an astronomical surge in absentee ballots, which take longer to count. About 1.37 million absentee ballots were requested and 70.3% were returned. The ballots can be processed ahead of time — removed from envelopes and prepared — but can’t be tallied until Election Day.
When will the election be certified?
Georgia counties will have until Jan. 15 to certify results. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, has until Jan. 22 to certify statewide results. But there could be court fights or moves by officials across Georgia’s 159 counties that draw the races out to the buzzer.
