Warnock, Democratic Party File Lawsuit to Allow Saturday Voting For Runoff

The Georgia Senate race between the Democratic incumbent, Raphael Warnock, and his Republican challenger, Herschel Walker, will be settled in a runoff election on December 6.  Early voting will begin Monday, November 28.  Election officials recently announced there would be no Saturday voting hours for the runoff, since a 2016 state law bans Saturday voting within two days of a state or national holiday.  The Saturday that would have been held for early voting is too close to Thanksgiving, as well as the state holiday formerly known as "Robert E. Lee Day."

Warnock held a news conference this morning to announce the Democratic Party of Georgia and the Warnock for Georgia campaign have filed a lawsuit in Fulton County, to allow Saturday early voting ahead of the December 6 runoff.

"The Secretary of State's guidance regarding Saturday runoff voting is deeply concerning for anyone who believes in the right to vote, and it clearly contradicts Georgia law," said Rebecca DeHart, Democratic Party of Georgia's executive director.   She added, "We will use every legal tool at our disposal to ensure that Georgia counties can offer voters ample opportunity to cast their ballot as laid out in state law."

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger issued a statement:  "If recent elections prove one thing, it's that voters expect candidates to focus on winning at the ballot box-not at the courthouse.  Senator Warnock and his Democratic Party allies are seeking to change Georgia law right before an election based on their political preferences.  Instead of muddying the water and pressuring counties to ignore Georgia law, Senator Warnock should be allowing count election officials to continue preparations for the upcoming runoff."