Early voting in Senate runoff elections begins today in Georgia
With the political eyes of the nation fixed on the Peach State, Georgians will begin voting in the Jan. 5 senate runoff elections today.
Bibb County residents can typically vote until from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at three locations: The county election board (2525 Pio Nono Ave., STE 1200); Elaine H. Lucas Senior Center (132 Willie Smokie Glover Drive); and Theron Ussery Community Center (815 N. Macon Park Drive). Registered voters need to wear masks while inside, practice social distancing and provide a photo ID.
While the state’s early voting calendar runs through Jan. 1, Macon voters have until Thursday, Dec. 30 to vote early. The early voting locations will be closed Dec. 24-25 for Christmas and Dec. 31-Jan. 1 for News Year’s Eve/Day.
Absentee ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. Jan. 5. Ballots can be mailed to the county election board (P. O. Box 6297 Macon GA 31208) or dropped into an absentee ballot drop box, located at the election board and the Bibb County courthouse (601 Mulberry St.). The election board recommends mailing your ballot at least five days before Election Day, and considering more than one million absentee ballots have been requested for Jan. 5 and the holiday shipping rush, the earlier you mail your ballot, the more likely it is to be received on time.
Voters who want to check their registration status can do so by visiting the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, sos.ga.gov. Sample ballots and Election Day polling locations are available on the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections website.
Incumbent Senate Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are battling Democrat challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to preserve the GOP’s slight Senate majority. A sweep by the Democrats would lead to an even 50-50 split, which means that, should Senators vote on legislation directly along party lines, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would cast a tie-breaking vote.
State electors will also cast their Electoral College votes today. GPB will stream Georgia’s 16 presidential electors voting live.
