Walker, Warnock Runoff: What To Know For GA U.S. Senate Race

GEORGIA — Voters in Georgia will find themselves back at the polls Dec. 6 to choose between Rev. Raphael Warnock, the Democratic incumbent, and Republican Herschel Walker for the U.S. Senate — the second such runoff in two years and a race that could once again decide which party controls the U.S. Senate.

During the 2020 presidential election, Senate control came down to two runoff races in Georgia, both of which were won by Democrats and gave the party a razor-thing margin. Jon Ossoff defeated incumbent Republican David Perdue, securing a full four-year term. Warnock ran against Republican Kelly Loeffler in a special election to serve out the remainder of Republican Johnny Isakson's term, which meant he would up for re-election again in two years.

Neither Warnock nor Walker reached the required 50 percent plus one vote on Tuesday to avoid a runoff.

Warnock reached 49.42 percent (1,941,763 votes) while Walker reached 48.52 percent (1,906,320 votes). Chase Oliver, the Libertarian candidate, garnered 2.07 percent of the vote (81,187 votes). Oliver is not in the runoff.

Anyone who is registered to vote in Georgia is eligible to participate in the runoff. The deadline for registering to vote and be eligible to vote in the runoff was Nov.7.

Early voting for the runoff will begin a week before the date of the runoff election, which is Dec.6.

Georgia residents can check their voter registration status on the Secretary of State's website.

Online and paper applications for absentee ballots are available through the Secretary of State's office. A form of voter identification is needed to request a ballot. Absentees must be requested at least 11 days prior to the runoff and must be submitted by 7 p.m., Election Day. Elections officials urge early requests and early submissions of absentee ballots.

The Secretary of State's office is directing voters to their local county registrar's office for more information on voting in the runoff election.