All Eyes On Georgia As State Tallies Votes In Close Senate Races

A sign is displayed for voters to guide the way at a precinct during Georgia’s Senate runoff elections on Tuesday in Atlanta.

Brynn Anderson / Associated Press

Updated Tuesday at 10:40 p.m.

Georgia officials began counting the final votes of the nation’s turbulent 2020 election season on Tuesday night as polls closed in two critical races that will determine control of the U.S. Senate and, in turn, the fate of President-elect Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.

The two Senate runoff elections are leftovers from the November general election, when none of the candidates hit the 50% threshold. Democrats need to win both races to seize the Senate majority — and, with it, control of the new Congress when Biden takes office  in two weeks.