Wait... Why the hell is the runoff scheduled for after the new Congress is sworn in? Was I reading that correctly??
Yes. This is what happens when you let Republicans make calendars.
Well, I guess it helps to know how to read a calendar: the Senate runoff (if needed) is in December. The Gubernatorial runoff would be in the new year. Bizarre, yes, but not as bizarre as having a Senate runoff after the new Congress is sworn in.
Um, no.
Wait... Why the hell is the runoff scheduled for after the new Congress is sworn in? Was I reading that correctly??
Yes. This is what happens when you let Republicans make calendars.
But these runoff rules were instituted when Democrats dominated the South.
Again, not really. The runoff threshold was at 50% for over 100 years, and yes, that was due to Democrats wanting a guarantee. In 1992, Wyche Fowler lost the run-off against Coverdell despite beating him in the general election.
The Democrats then changed the run-off requirement to 45% to begin with the 1994 elections, where it stayed at through 2004.
Once Republicans took control of the General Assembly in 2005, they changed the rules back to 50% (since it now benefited them). So at least in Georgia, the current runoff laws were instituted by Republicans.
Well, I'd chalk it up to an error but for the SOS to have it listed that way, it would be a pretty massive error. In my defense, though, several reputable sites have stated that the Senate runoff is in December and the Gubernatorial runoff is in January.
According to Green Papers there was a ruling by a Judge in 2013 that changed the Primary and Runoff dates. It was made official in January when Deal signed it into law.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/1ptkJLSpqqXAMftLUYJ-Qd1hlt-z3nfyGpTno1UVoniH1rGLXDpgcFxpjMeFk/edit?usp=sharinghttp://www.thegreenpapers.com/G14/GA
Poll
