ATLANTA — The Latest on the Senate runoffs in Georgia (all times local):
10:15 a.m.
In conservative-leaning east Cobb County, dozens of red Kelly Loeffler signs and dozens more blue David Perdue signs dotted the median of the highway at the base of Sweat Mountain, one of metro Atlanta’s highest peaks.
At the small churches and community centers that hosted voting Tuesday, there were no lines but a steady stream of voters. At Pilgrimage United Church of Christ, a new car arrived about every 30 seconds. But there were no lines, and voters were in and out in less than 5 minutes.
A few miles south, near Marietta, the Loeffler and Perdue signs gave way to signs for Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock along Powers Ferry Road. In that part of the county, Portuguese can be heard in many of the Brazilian restaurants and businesses such as the Brazilian Bakery and Cafe. It’s one of many neighborhoods in central and southern Cobb County where increasing diversity in recent years has helped to fuel strong support for Democratic candidates.
Tuesday’s elections will determine which party will control the U.S. Senate.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GEORGIA SENATE ELECTIONS
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON:
7 a.m.
Georgia voters have begun casting their ballots to determine which party will control the U.S. Senate.
Polls for the runoffs opened statewide at 7 a.m. Tuesday and are scheduled to close at 7 p.m.
The results will have huge implications on President-elect Joe Biden’s ability to pass his legislative agenda on matters such as the pandemic, health care, taxation, energy and the environment.
Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock need to win both races for a 50-50 Senate. That would allow Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to tilt the chamber to Democrats with the tiebreaking vote.
Ossoff is facing David Perdue, while Warnock is challenging Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and trying to become the state’s first Black senator.
More than 3 million Georgians have already voted either early in-person or via absentee ballots. That’s more than 60% of the nearly 5 million who voted in November’s presidential election.