SPRINGFIELD — It’s almost too late to vote early!
Early voting for Tuesday’s election is set to end Friday at 5 p.m. at the Effingham County Board of Elections & Registration Office at 284 Ga. Hwy 119 South. Voting will start today, Thursday and Friday at 9 a.m.
Tuesday’s races are headed by the battle for a U.S. Senate seat. Republican Herschel Walker and Libertarian Chase Oliver are challenging incumbent Raphael Warnock, a Democrat.
A win by Walker would be a step toward returning the Senate, currently split 50-50, to GOP control.
In other races for federal offices, District 1 Congressman Buddy Carter, a Republican, is squaring off against Democrat Wade Herring. In District 12, the GOP incumbent, Rick Allen, is facing Democrat Elizbeth Johnson.
The gubernatorial race is a rematch of the 2018 matchup of Republican incumbent Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams. It also features Libertarian Shane Hazel.
Democrat Charlie Bailey, Republican Burt Jones and Libertarian Ryan Graham are aiming to replace Lieutenant Gov. Geoff Duncan, who opted against seeking re-election.
Other candidates for state offices include:
— Secretary of State (Democrat Bee Nguyen, Republican Brad Raffensperger* and Libertarian Ted Metz
— Attorney General (Democrat Jen Jordan, Republican Chris Carr* and Libertarian Martin Cowen)
— Commissioner of Labor (Democrat Willie Boddie Jr. and Republican Bruce Thompson
— Commissioner of Agriculture (Democrat Nakita Hemingway, Republican Tyler Harper and Libertarian David Raudabach
— Commissioner of Insurance and Fire Safety (Democrat Janice Laws Robinson, Republican John King*
— State School Superintendent (Democrat Alisha Thomas Searcy and Republican Richard Woods*)
Republican Billy Hickman is running unopposed in Georgia Senate District 4. Rep. Jon Burns, also Republican, is running unopposed for the Georgia House District 159 seat.
In House District 161, Republican incumbent Rep. Bill Hitchens is being challenged by Democrat Margo Barbee.
Locally, Republican Richard Rafter is unopposed for the role of solictor general.
There are three seats on the Effingham County Board of Commissioners up for grabs.
The District 2 race pits Republican incumbent Roger Burdette against Barry Thompson, a Republican write-in candidate.
In District 3, Republican incumbent Jamie DeLoach is facing Democrat Richard D.M. Garvin.
The District 5 race features Republicn incumbent Phil Kieffer and Democrat Delmons White in a rematch of a 2012 contest.
The ballot also includes two proposed constituational amendments and two referendums.
— * denotes incumbent
