Updated: November 8, 2020 11:32:42 pm
President-elect Joe Biden joins Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on stage Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik, Pool)
In a surprising turn of events three days after US Election Day, Joe Biden beat President Donald Trump in the otherwise reliable Republican state of Georgia with a minimal lead of less than one point. full percentage. But this is not the only unprecedented political situation the state is witnessing right now.
The two state Senate elections are also likely now heading for a runoff in January, which could ultimately determine the balance of power between Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate.
Current Republican Senator David Perdue and his Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff will meet once again on January 5 in a runoff for the Purdue seat. It also became clear earlier this week that Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Kelly Loeffler are heading for another runoff in January for the remaining Senate seat in Georgia.
What is a second round election?
State officials call for a runoff when no candidate in the first election can get the majority of votes required by Georgia law to avoid a vote rematch. In this case, the two candidates with the most votes qualify for a second election, where they face each other once again to try to obtain the minimum share of votes required by the state to be declared the winner of the contest.
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Under the United States constitution, each of the 50 states of the countries has its own election system and therefore you have the freedom to decide what the minimum proportion of votes is. In several states, including Georgia, candidates must obtain a minimum of 50 percent of the total vote. Some states only ask for 40 percent and others do not have the option of a second round election.
In states that do allow a second election, this type of two-round system can take place both during primary elections and during general elections to ultimately select a winner. A runoff election uses an abbreviated ballot that only bears the names of the two candidates facing each other for the second time. The hope is that with fewer options it will be easier to establish a majority. 📣 Express Explained is now on Telegram
Generally, each state also has its own timeline. In some states, the second round elections are held just two weeks after the first election. In others, it could be held nine weeks later. Georgia has decided to hold the second election on January 5.
Why has the need for a second round arisen in Georgia?
Georgia is expected to hold two elections next year, for both state Senate seats, after all four candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties failed to meet the state’s threshold of 50 percent plus one vote.
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It is unusual for a state to hold two Senate elections at once, but it is happening this year, as the seat of Senator Johnny Isakson, who retired last year, must be filled again.
Republican Senator David Perdue, who was running for re-election, got 49.8 percent of the vote, while his Democratic contender and investigative documentary filmmaker Jon Ossoff got 47 percent. The turnout of third-party candidate Shane Hazel of the Libertarian Party ensured that neither Perdue nor Ossoff could establish a clear majority.
The state’s other Republican senator, Kelly Loeffler, was appointed in 2019 to succeed Isakson after his retirement. She ran against 21 candidates, none of whom could get enough votes to win the race. Democrat Raphael Warnock received the most votes (32.7 percent), with Loeffler in second place (26 percent). The winner of this second round will only be two years old, which is the remainder of Ossoff’s six-year term.
What’s at stake here for President-elect Joe Biden?
The two runoff elections here could potentially determine which party will hold power in the United States Senate for the next two years. As of now, Republicans have a majority of 53-47 in the United States Senate. Democrats have won a new seat, but they need two more to achieve a perfect balance of power at 50%.
Predicting that Republicans will win Senate elections in historically red North Carolina and Alaska, Democrats are relying on Georgia as the only way they have left to win a majority before the Senate reconvenes on the next year.
If the Democrats manage to win the Georgia seats, then Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will serve as the runoff. That would mean that his would be the deciding vote in the Senate. This would increase your chances of passing laws and also passing important appointments.
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But if the Democrats lose their seats in Georgia, the Republicans will have control of the House. In this case, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican leader from Kentucky, could prevent Biden from enacting his plans and goals. The promises you made while campaigning – increased financial aid, unemployment insurance during Covid-19, fighting climate change – will be very difficult to keep.
During this year’s Senate elections, Democrats won seats in Arizona and Colorado, but lost one seat in Alabama. However, the Democratic Party is expected to retain its majority in the US House of Representatives, but by a small margin.
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