BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – The U.S. Senate Runoff experienced lower voter turnout than the General Election, but traditionally runoffs experience lower numbers. In November, 15,547 Union County residents voted and 14,206 in the January runoff – approximately 19,628 people are registered to vote in Union County. 72.38 percent of Union County voters turned out on January 5.

In the General, David Perdue (Rep – I) received 12,410 votes (80.77 percent), challenger Jon Ossoff (Dem) received 2,616 (17.03 percent), and Libertarian Shane Hazel received 339 votes (2.21 percent).

In the Runoff Perdue earned 11,609 (81.88), and Ossoff received 2,569 (18.12) for a total of 14,178 votes.

As for Senator Kelly Loeffler (Rep – I) and Senator-elect Raphael Warnock (Dem), it’s slightly more difficult to compare because of the Jungle Primary in November. Loeffler received 3,945 votes (25.50 percent) and Democrat challenger Raphael Warnock earned 1,904 votes (12.40 percent) while former Ninth District Representative Doug Collins earned 8,092 (52.72 percent).

Senate runoff vote totals and precentage.

Loeffler received 11,590 (81.80) and Warnock 2,579 (earned 18.2) for a total of 14,169 Runoff votes.

Interestingly, Warnock garnered ten more votes than Ossoff, and Perdue received 19 more votes than Loeffler. Also, nine individuals chose not to vote in the Loeffler/Warnock race at all, according to the data on the Secretary of State’s website.

The vote tally differences likely came down to Loeffler’s campaign absence in the North Georgia Mountains. Since her campaign began, the outgoing senator never visited Union County. Also, Doug Collins was the heavy favorite for senator in November. Some voters who turned out for Perdue probably thought twice before voting for Loeffler.

Overall, voter turnout was down by 1,341 from November to January. Right now, uncertainty remains if those thousand voters decided to stay home due to President Trump’s message of voter fraud. Georgia’s Ninth District staunchly supported Trump in November. Since then, those voters have demanded their state representatives and senators do something about an election they believe was stolen from them.

At the time of publication, the Perdue and Ossoff race has yet to be called.