There will be no Saturday early voting options in the Senate runoff

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - There will be no Saturday early voting options for the upcoming Senate runoff between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker.

Last Wednesday, while discussing logistics for the runoff, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger suggested counties, “may likely have Saturday voting following Thanksgiving.” However, his office released updated guidance over the weekend informing county election officials that state law makes it impossible.

Early voting for the runoff is required from Nov. 28 until Dec 2. But state law doesn’t allow a Saturday early voting option if it follows a Thursday or Friday state holiday. The weekend before the election is also off-limits.

“Advance Voting on Saturday, November 26th is prohibited by OCGA 21-2-385(d)(1), which states that if the second Saturday before the runoff follows a Thursday or Friday that is a state holiday, voting on that Saturday is not allowed,” according to the bulletin sent.

Early voting in the runoff can’t begin until the results from the midterm elections are certified, a process that’s expected to be completed by Nov. 21.

“At this point, it looks like everything is going to come down to county boards of elections,” said civil rights attorney Bryan Sells.

Sells specializes in voting rights and election law. He said if the Nov. 8 election is certified by Nov. 21, counties could begin early voting on the Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Sunday, Nov. 27 is also an option.

“We can’t say anything in broad strokes about what’s going to happen in every county except there’s going to be early voting for those five weekdays before the election,” he said.

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Counties are required to post dates, times, and locations for early voting at least a week before it begins. The portal to request an absentee ballot is already open.