Georgia runoff race to decide which party controls Senate

While the November Presidential election seemed to last forever before there was an official winner, the state of Georgia’s Senate election is still ongoing. Both seats in the United States Senate were on the ballot this year, pitting Republican incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler against Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Though Georgians casted votes for their candidates already this November, none of the candidates had received 50 percent or more of the votes. Therefore, by law, the state will hold another election early this upcoming January to determine the winners. 

Voter registration came to a close on Monday, but nearly one million voters have requested absentee ballots and around 43,000 have already returned their ballots, according to the New York Times. In-person voting will begin Dec. 14, the same day as Electoral College members are expected to formally cast their final votes for President-elect Biden. The last day to vote in person is Jan. 5. 

All eyes are on Georgia as this election will determine the majority of the Senate. Currently, the Senate splits with 48 Democrat Senators and 50 Republican Senators. If Republicans Perdue and Loeffler win, the Republicans will hold a 52-48 majority. The Senate would then likely block most proressive legislature from being signed into law by President Biden. The country would again face another two years of a Democrat majority House and a Republican majority Senate, making it very difficult for legislation supported by the upcoming Biden administration to be passed through the Senate. If Democrats Ossoff and Warnock win, however, the Senate will be a 50-50 split down the middle. This would likely put most decisions at a tie, when Senate majority leader and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be the deciding factor. 

Assuming she aligns her vote with her party’s, the Biden administration’s promises when it comes to progressive legislation would become a reality.