Runoff Election In State Of Georgia Set To Determine Key Final US Senate Seat

Voters in the US state of Georgia are flocking to polling stations Tuesday to determine whether Sen. Raphael Warnock or his Republican challenger, Herschel Walker, will lay claim to the only unsettled US Senate seat.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. local time with many braving frigid temperatures and rain to cast ballots in what is slated to be a nail-biting contest.

The Republican former American football star and US senator are in the runoff election after neither candidate secured the 50% needed to win November's midterm election.

Last month's race saw Warnock hold a razor-thin 0.9% edge against Walker with libertarian candidate Chase Oliver claiming a little more than 2% of the vote. Oliver was eliminated following the results.

Walker, who is backed by former US President Donald Trump, a figure he emulates, has been dogged by claims that he paid for two former girlfriends to receive abortions despite touting himself as a staunchly anti-abortion candidate. Walker has denied the charges.

Polls will begin closing at 7 p.m., though it is highly likely that many will remain open after that time to allow people to vote if they are in line prior to the closing time, as has repeatedly happened in the past.

The results of the contest will determine whether Democrats hold a 51-seat majority in the 100-member chamber or if the Senate continues to be split 50-50 along party lines as it has been for the past two years.

In either event, Democrats will control the Senate because of a long-standing tradition that gives control of the chamber to the president's party when it is evenly split. Vice President Kamala Harris wields a tie-breaking vote as president of the Senate.

Republicans have failed so far to flip any Senate seats in this year's midterm elections.

Media outlets could announce a winner within hours of polls closing. -