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About 18.5 percent of Troup County voters voted in the first week of early voting for the Jan. 5 runoff election.

Early voting started Dec. 14 and continued all last week. From Monday to Friday, 4,989 votes were cast in-person, and 2,985 absentee-by-mail ballots were received by the end of the week, according to county Elections and Registration Supervisor Andrew Harper.

The total vote count for the first week was 7,974, about 18.5 percent of voters. The first week of early voting for the November election saw a total of 8,181 votes, approximately 20 percent of voters.

According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, there were 43,169 registered voters in Troup as of Nov. 1. The number of registered voters increased by 1,680 in September and October, and the last day to register to vote in November was Oct. 5. The last day to register to vote in the runoff election was Dec. 7.

Early voting is available Monday through Wednesday of this week and Monday through Thursday of next week. There is no voting on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. New Year’s Eve is the last day of early voting. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for each early voting day.

As long as you are registered in Troup County, you can early vote at the Troup County Government Center at 10 Ridley Avenue or at the Hogansville Annex at 600 East Main Street.

Voters can request absentee ballots until Dec. 31. Absentee ballots must be returned by election day. They can be mailed to the elections office or dropped in a ballot drop box. Drop boxes are located at the government center, the Hogansville Police Department and West Point City Hall.

The runoffs will determine control of the U.S. Senate. Republicans currently hold 50 seats, Democrats, 48. Democrats must win both seats to achieve a majority, which would involve Vice President-elect Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking votes.

The two incumbent Republicans are David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. They are being challenged by Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, respectively.

Also on the ballot is a runoff for the Georgia Public Service Commission. Incumbent Republican Lauren “Bubba” McDonald faces Democrat Daniel Blackman.