A record 3 million people voted early in Georgia's Senate runoffs

Early voting has ended in Georgia ahead of Tuesday's Senate runoffs, with a record 3 million people having cast their ballots.

The previous record for total turnout in a Georgia runoff election was set in 2008, when 2.1 million people participated. The votes for this year's runoff elections won't be counted until polls close at 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that an analysis of state election data shows more ballots have been cast in areas that tend to favor Democrats. Additionally, Black voters have made up a higher percentage of voters so far than during November's presidential election. President-elect Joe Biden won Georgia, becoming the first Democrat in 28 years to take the state. Republicans still have the opportunity to make up ground with in-person voting on Tuesday.

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Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) is trying to fend off a challenge from Democrat Jon Ossoff, while Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) is facing off against her Democratic opponent, the Rev. Raphael Warnock. Loeffler was appointed to the seat in December 2019, after GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson resigned due to health issues.

If Perdue and Loeffler are both victorious, or if one wins and the other loses, the Senate will remain in GOP control. Should Ossoff and Warnock both win, the Senate will be split evenly 50-50 and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will cast the tie-breaking vote. Read more at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.