Georgia voters start early visits to polls in Senate runoff elections

MARIETTA, Ga. — Hundreds of people lined up in a cold rain on Monday to cast ballots in a pair of U.S. Senate races in Georgia that will determine control of the chamber and influence Democratic Presidentelect Joe Biden's ability to enact his agenda.

The Southern state, dominated by Republicans for decades, is now one of the most competitive U.S. political battlegrounds after Biden's narrow victory in the Nov. 3 presidential election. President Donald Trump and other top Republicans have campaigned to help incumbent Republican senators David Purdue and Kelly Loeffler win on Jan. 5, while Democrats have spent millions to back challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

"Look at this line, all these people. This is what it's about: turnout," said Brenda Reed, 40, a Democrat who works in the hospitality business.

Election experts said turnout on the first day of early voting in a contest could offer clues to which side ultimately prevails. Civil rights monitors said they had received no reports of voting problems.

Republican voter David Koon waited more than an hour to cast his vote on Monday in Marietta, about 32 kilometres northwest of Atlanta.

"We can't risk it being close," said Koon, 62, a sound engineer. "I hope any Republican who sat on the sidelines (in November) will come out and vote this time."

The races will determine control of the Senate, and Democrats face an uphill battle as they would need to win both seats to be able to control the chamber and use that power to help advance Biden's priorities. Republicans, meanwhile, are warning voters that Trump's policies are on the line.

Biden's narrow victory has buoyed Democratic hopes of another win, aided by aggressive Democratic voter registration drives and demographic trends that have nudged the electorate away from Republicans.

Perdue finished just ahead of Ossoff in November, while not quite getting the 50 per cent needed for a victory under Georgia law.

In the other race, neither Warnock or Loeffler reached the 50 per cent threshold in a field that included several other challengers.