State lawmaker proposes changes to Georgia runoff threshold

ATLANTA - Georgia voters have been to the polls more than people in just about any other state over the last few years because of the state's runoff law. Currently, a candidate must earn 50% plus one additional vote to win outright and avoid a runoff election, but that is difficult in races that include more than two candidates.

"We have too many elections here in Georgia," said state Rep. Saira Draper, D-Atlanta.

This week Rep. Draper filed a bill that would lower the threshold to avoid a runoff to 45%.

"Basically what it accounts for is that so-called spoiler candidate—that candidate that is going to get one or two percent of the vote that doesn't represent the values of the people—but again, it prevents any one candidate from getting 50%," Rep. Draper explained.

Rep. Saira Draper (FOX 5)

Georgia has had multiple high-profile runoffs the last two election cycles. In 2020, the races for U.S. Senate between Sen. David Perdue, Sen. Kelly Loeffler and their Democratic challengers, Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock went to runoffs.

Sen. Warnock faced another runoff against Republican Herschel Walker during his re-election campaign in 2022.

"We looked at all the statewide runoff elections that stemmed from general elections over the last 15 years and if this 45% threshold had been in place then, we wouldn't have seen any of those runoff elections," said Rep. Draper.

Runoff elections are also expensive. Researchers at Kennesaw State University estimated the U.S. Senate runoffs in January 2021 cost $75 million statewide. 

According to Fulton County officials, that runoff cost them $4 million. The 2022 Senate runoff cost the county another $3.8 million.

Rep. Draper said not only are runoff elections costly, but more often than not, they do not change the outcome of a race.

One notable exception was the race between Perdue and Ossoff. Sen. Perdue garnered more votes than Ossoff in the general election, but Ossoff won the runoff. Had Rep. Draper's bill been the law then, Sen. Perdue would still represent Georgia in Washington, D.C.

Sen. Jon Ossoff (FOX 5)

At an event Friday, Sen. Ossoff declined to weigh in on the legislation.

"At this time I don't have a comment on any specific bill," said Sen. Ossoff. "I know there's a range of proposals and as any of them come closer to potential passage, I'll take a look, but that's really a matter for our state legislature."

When asked about the race between Perdue and Ossoff, Draper, a Democrat, said she does not think her proposal would favor one party over another.

"My belief is that good policy isn't partisan," said Rep. Draper. "This is a good policy."

She acknowledged that some may not be comfortable with the 45% threshold because it does not represent a majority of voters, but Draper argued fewer people usually show up to vote in a runoff.

"When we have runoffs, we always see a decline—a huge decline—in participation. So, even in runoffs you may get a 50% threshold, but it's a lower raw number of votes than you had in that general election and I don't think that necessarily represents the will of the people," Rep. Draper said.

The bill has been assigned to committee, but without any Republican co-sponsors, it is not clear whether it will get a hearing.