Early Voting Begins For Runoff Between Chambliss, Martin

November 18, 2008 10:51 a.m. EST

Atlanta, GA (AHN) - Early voting for the runoff between Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Democrat Jim Martin began in most counties in Georgia on Monday.

Turnout has been steady with long lines in some counties, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Richmond county began early voting last Friday, while Bleckley and Wilkinson counties began on Tuesday.

Advance voting, distinguished from early voting by casting one's ballot a week before the election, is scheduled throughout the state from Nov. 24-26.

While voting includes races such as the one for the Georgia State Appeals Court, interest is by far focused on the contest between the Chambliss and Martin.

Results from all precincts in the state's 159 counties were certified by Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel last Thursday, when a runoff was officially announced for Dec. 2. Chambliss led with 49.8 percent, or 1,867,090 votes, while Martin trailed with 46.8 percent, or 1,757,419 votes. State law requires that if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates face off again.

Martin, who served for nearly two decades in the state House of Representatives, released an ad early this week showing footage of Chambliss saying, "We may not be in a recession. I don't know what that term means." An announcer then says in the spot, "No wonder he opposes the Obama economic rescue plan and opposes a middle class tax cut. For six years he voted to get us into this mess."

The Democrat will have former President Bill Clinton campaigning for him on Wednesday in Atlanta. Chambliss, who served as congressman from 1995-2003, will hold a rally NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre to "celebrate Second Amendment Rights " in Perry the same day. The first-term Republican senator recently picked up the endorsement of Democratic former senator and Georgia governor Zell Miller.

A win for Martin will bring Democrats closer to the 60-vote filibuster-proof majority they are hoping to get in the Senate. Democrats were able to gain six seats this election cycle for a 57-seat majority, including the two independents who caucus with them, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT). The gains were made in Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia.

Results of two other races are still unknown: in Alaska where counting is still underway, and in Minnesota, where a manual, statewide manual recount is set to begin on Wednesday.