Georgia senate seats runoff(s) megathread

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

If anybody's watching the presser on CNN, this sign-language guy is KILLING it.  

[Skill and Chance]

Do these races need to be certified at the same time, or will they be certified separately?  Because both Dems will take office as soon as the their race is certified, right?

Yes, they both take office upon certification.  The only difference is Loeffler can continue to serve until the swearing in, while Perdue's seat is already vacant.  

It should be the same day for both unless Ossoff goes to a recount while Warnock doesn't.  Ossoff has seniority if it's the same day (it's alphabetical so O vs. W).  

[BudgieForce]

I think theres a strong argument to be made about Trump's antics motivating democrats. It may very well have cost Perdue his seat.

For instance, Dekalb County ended up with strong election day turnout. Would that have happened had the phone call with Raffensperger not leaked? I'm not so sure.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots.  

[Motorcity]

Why does Gerogia do a jungle primary? Why not have a state party convention like other states? If they had done that, they might have won an outright majority back in November

Or a primary election in August

[Skill and Chance]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots.  

Worth watching because it could pull Ossoff back into recount range.  

[Sir Mohamed]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots.  

They used to favor the GOP slightly? But anyways, Ossoff's current lead seems insurmountable to overcome with outstanding votes.

[Skill and Chance]

Why does Gerogia do a jungle primary? Why not have a state party convention like other states? If they had done that, they might have won an outright majority back in November

Or a primary election in August

It's a separate law that only applies to special elections.  A proposal to use the regular system for all elections failed in the legislature last year after Kemp threatened to veto it to protect Loeffler from Collins.  

[It's Perro Sanxe wot won it]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots.  

Worth watching because it could pull Ossoff back into recount range.  

He's also said that Ossoff is likely going to avoid a recount, so it doesn't seem like they're enough.

[Holmes]

Ossoff becoming a senator is the perfect middle finger to all the Republicans who laughed at him for losing the GA-06 election in 2017.

Speaking of, haha to Karen Handel as well.

[BudgieForce]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots.  

Worth watching because it could pull Ossoff back into recount range.  

If I recall correctly, these ballots leaned democrat in November. I'd wager they pad Ossoff's lead. Although I doubt the number is anywhere close to 14,000.

[brucejoel99]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots. 

Worth watching because it could pull Ossoff back into recount range. 

He's also said that Ossoff is likely going to avoid a recount, so it doesn't seem like they're enough.

Also subtly hints that Raffensperger & the Dept. of State won't be authorizing a recount even if Perdue/Loeffler ask them to do so.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

What an excellent result. I still feel like Warnock probably would have pulled out a narrow win even without all of Trump's attempts to nullify the election in recent weeks, but I do think the backlash against those nullification attempts was likely what pushed Ossoff over the line against the more formidable Republican in the race.

[Tender Branson]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots.  

Requested ?

Or already returned ? And have some been counted already ?

If it’s only the requested number, only a handful might be returned.

[cg41386]

I really like Gabe Sterling.

[rhg2052]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots.  

Requested ?

Or already returned ? And have some been counted already ?

If it’s only the requested number, only a handful might be returned.

If the scenario from the November election is any indication, it's a count of the ballots requested, not necessarily what will be returned.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

Per CNN: GA elections official Gabriel Sterling says that there is about 14,000 outstanding military ballots.  

Requested ?

Or already returned ? And have some been counted already ?

If it’s only the requested number, only a handful might be returned.

Didn't specify.  Just estimated that around "14,000 military votes" were still oustanding.  

[emailking]

Why does Gerogia do a jungle primary? Why not have a state party convention like other states? If they had done that, they might have won an outright majority back in November

Or a primary election in August

It's a better system than just straight First Past the Post. I keep hearing it was a way to avoid blacks winning if the white vote was split, but if you have normal primaries that would be avoided anyway so I don't get the logic there, even if that was the rationale for it.

It's a separate law that only applies to special elections.  

I don't think so? The Ossoff-Perdue race is not a special election.

[GeorgiaModerate]

A couple of things about the "14,000 military ballots":

1. These are how many were sent out and haven't yet been returned.  These are sent out partly from a recurring list, i.e. they weren't necessarily requested explicitly.  So the return rate is lower than for regular absentee ballots.

2. This isn't just military members serving overseas; it includes ALL overseas voters still registered in Georgia, e.g. employees of multinational corporations, NGOs, etc.  The latter group is usually about 60% of the total overseas/military vote and tends to be strongly democratic.  

Between these two factors, I expect there are at most a few thousand that have yet to be counted (they can be received as late as Friday to be counted), and will probably be no worse than a wash for the Democrats.

[Epaminondas]

Wonderful cap on the 2020 election cycle. The Trump-McConnell nightmare is truly over.

Also, if I'm Mitch McConnell, I offer Joe Manchin whatever he wants to become a Republican or R-caucusing Independent.  It would be a long shot, but less so than claiming that the elections were rigged.

He's probably as likely to go GOP as Bernie is to become a Democrat.

Can we stop with this meme? Bernie Sanders is a Democrat. You can be a Democrat and be registered as a Democrat, just like millions of Americans who always vote Democrat.

Bernie Sanders caucuses with the Democrat's in the senate. Votes for Democratic leadership. Hell, is in Democratic leadership! He votes for Democratic bills. He was the runner up twice in Democratic primaries. He was nominated by the Vermont Democratic Party.

The meme that he isn't a true Democrat or is somewhat underserving of being president is dumb. Being nitpicky about party registration is trivial and only for internet nerds who have no valence in the real world.

The only reason we have a Democratic President Elect is because Bernie Sanders went all in for him, considering how close it was

It appears there was a misunderstanding: Bernie Sanders is the reason I first took an interest in politics. He represents the way forward for the Democratic party and has changed US politics forever.

He is also the antithesis of Donald Trump when it comes to being a team player: despite the slanders from establishment Dem supporters, he tirelessly campaigned for Clinton and then for Biden.

However, it's also quite clear his supply-and-demand agreement with the democrats is one of convenience, and he would happily jump ship to a more radical progressive party if the American voting system ever allowed one to thrive.

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

It is so glorious to see that evil, corrupt, and lying son of a pig David Perdue go down! I never again have to see an ad where Perdue smiles and says military bases will be defunded by Democrats

[Gracile]

County breakdown of remaining absentee ballots-

https://twitter.com/Emma_Hurt/status/1346854955186065408

[brucejoel99]

It's a separate law that only applies to special elections.  

I don't think so? The Ossoff-Perdue race is not a special election.

The Ossoff-Perdue race also isn't a jungle primary

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

And Warnock - while I don’t like a lot of his comments over the years - you’ve got to admit his drip is amazing. Great sense of style. A role model for males across America

[It's not just that you are a crook senator]

County breakdown of remaining absentee ballots-

https://twitter.com/Emma_Hurt/status/1346854955186065408

If they are absentee votes it really doesnt matter which county they are from, they will mostly lean dem