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How Georgia’s Senate runoff between Walker and Warnock works

How Georgia's Senate runoff between Walker and Warnock works

WASHINGTON (AP) — Georgia’s election runoff rules could determine control of the Senate for the second time in a row, and Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock finds himself in the middle of it again — this time against Republican Herschel Walker.

Two years ago, two runoff election wins in Georgia tipped the Senate into Democratic hands.

This time, the candidates have just four weeks between the general election and the runoff to make their case, instead of the nine they had before.

Here’s a look at why that is, who the contenders are and how the Georgia Senate race will be decided in December:

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WHO’S ON THE BALLOT?

A third candidate, Libertarian Chase Oliver, took 2.1% in the initial round of balloting Nov. 8. That was enough to keep both Warnock and Walker, the former University of Georgia football standout, from taking more than half the vote, which is required to avoid a runoff.

Less than 1 percentage point separated Warnock and Walker, with Warnock slightly ahead. They will be the only candidates up for consideration Dec. 6.

Warnock has campaigned on Democrats’ legislative accomplishments like coronavirus relief and infrastructure reforms. Walker has been beleaguered by a variety of critical attention, including claims he exaggerated his business success, as well as successive reports alleging that he encouraged and paid for a woman’s 2009 abortion.

It probably won’t hurt Walker that his alma mater’s team is having another great season: The top-ranked Bulldogs could be playing for the SEC championship in Atlanta three days before the runoff.

HOW WILL VOTING WORK?

The runoff campaign is structured similarly to any other, with weeks of intense stumping, advertising and surrogacy anticipated. Voters can request absentee ballots now, although they won’t be mailed until Nov. 18. Mail-in ballots have to be received by the time the polls close Dec. 6.

Early voting must start by Nov. 28, although some counties may start sooner.

Early voting ends Dec. 2.

WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME?

It will be the second runoff for Warnock, who first won his seat in a Jan. 5, 2021, special election runoff. Together with Jon Ossoff’s victory in a concurrent Senate runoff, the Georgia seats gave Democrats the narrow majority they have been defending this year.

Unlike in 2020, only one of those Georgia seats is up this year. In defeating Republican Sen. David Perdue, Ossoff was elected to a full six-year term and won’t be up for reelection until…

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