Ga. secretary of state wants to end general election runoffs

By KATE BRUMBACK and JEFF AMY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s top elections official is urging lawmakers to end general election runoffs, but isn’t offering any specific proposals. Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says in a statement that there is a “wide range of options.”  Georgia’s bitter Senate contest this month was the latest example of a general election runoff. His push comes after high-profile Senate races went into overtime this year and in 2020, with Democrats winning each time. Democrat Raphael Warnock has twice won runoffs. Lawmakers say possible options include lowering the threshold for winning an election to a 45% plurality or using ranked choice ballots for voters, as some other states do, to designate additional choices beyond a first candidate, allowing for an instant runoff.