Fresh Loaf

Did I mention that already? In Decatur, where I voted an hour ago, there were no lines; poll workers said people had been filing in all morning long.

The obvious big contests are Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat, Georgia Public Service Commission District 4 and the state Court of Appeals. There are several county elections still undecided, as well.

To find out where you need to go to vote, visit Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel’s poll locator. Don’t forget to bring photo ID. If you have any questions, contact your county’s election office. Polls close at 7 p.m.

After today — unless we have a recount — all this will be over. We’ll come out holding hands and happy.

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UPDATE: Bah, semantics! Received word that I garbled some of the terminology on the post. It’s been corrected.

Were you one of the 2 million Georgians who enjoyed his or her early voting experience? The long lines, the new friends, the chance you may have ended up as a “missed connection” on Craigs List?

Good news! Absentee and early voting will be available for the Dec. 2 runoff.

After Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel certifies election results next week, state election maestros and county election officials will start coordinating the runoff.

Matt Carrothers, Handel’s spokesman, told me these details over the phone a few minutes ago:

Early voting is anticipated to begin Nov. 17. According to Handel’s office:

Counties can begin early voting. While it is a county-by-county decision, there should be consistency state-wide.

Advance voting will be held Monday through Wednesday (Nov. 24-26) during the week of Thanksgiving. County election offices are closed Thursday and Friday because of the holiday.

If you voted by mail-in or absentee ballot in the General Election, you’ll have to re-request a ballot. You can download an application at the Secretary of State’s website or pick one up at your county election office. (Or just click here.) To find your county election office, click here. Applications can either be dropped off, mailed, or faxed as well.

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Still with only 96 percent of ballots counted, U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss has slipped below 50 percent. In all likely, this means he’ll be forced into a runoff against Democrat Jim Martin.

Chambliss 49.8; Martin 46.8.

Big caveat: This is so tight that Chambliss still could jump above 50 percent.

But if he stays below 50 percent, it’s huge. A runoff would make Georgia the national political battleground for the next four weeks — until the Dec. 2 runoff.

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