COURTNEY WILLIAMS is one of 2,354 voters who have cast early in-person ballots for the upcoming Jan. 5 runoff election. Williams voted last Tuesday at the courthouse. Voters are reminded that early voting will end on Thursday, Dec. 31 at 4:30 p.m.
Interest in the January 5, 2021 runoff election, which will decide the control of the U.S. Senate, remains high, both statewide and locally.
Grady County chief registrar Malinda Butler reported Tuesday afternoon that 2,354 voters have cast in-person early votes and 1,100 absentee ballots applied for have been returned and votes cast.
The runoffs pit Republican U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler against Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock. Wins by both Ossoff and Warnock would give Democrats control of both houses of Congress and the White House for at least the next two years.
Also on the ballot is the contest for a seat on the Public Service Commission. Incumbent Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald, a republican, is being challenged by Daniel Blackman, a democrat.
As of Friday, more than 1 million Georgians had already cast ballots in the early-voting period that started Dec. 14, nearing similar numbers seen in the general election’s record-breaking turnout.
The early voting will shut down Thursday as all county offices are closed for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Advance in-person voting resumes Monday, Dec. 28 and will conclude at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31.
The runoff election day will be the following Tuesday, Jan. 5 and local polling places will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
There is no Saturday voting for this election. All early voting takes place at the Grady County Courthouse.
“Honestly, I thought the turnout would’ve been more, but we probably will have more before it ends next Thursday,” Butler said.
