The Sunrise Report: It’s Election Day in Georgia

Good morning! Today is Jan. 5 and Georgia is in the midst of a tumultuous runoff election that will determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. It will also put an end to all those mailers and text messages you’ve been bombarded with. Here is what you need to know today.

Headlines:

• Donald Trump and Joe Biden were both in Georgia yesterday to campaign with Georgia’s candidates for senate.
• Election officials in Georgia — all republicans — were actively debunking Trump’s claims of voter fraud yesterday in an effort to try to convince republicans to vote in today’s election.
• Republicans in Georgia and throughout the country are split about a phone call where Trump asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the votes he needed to win the state and to tell voters he had “recalculated” the votes.
• The New Year’s holiday turned deadly on Georgia’s roads. The Georgia State Patrol reported 13 deaths over the New Year’s holiday.
• Atlanta has seen an increase in violent crime. Here is what Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is doing about it.
• You don’t often hear of firefighters getting arrested, but a firefighter in Hartwell was arrested and charged with theft yesterday.
• A deputy in Henry County died from COVID-19.

Today:

Voters will cast their ballots today in two U.S. Senate races. One is between Republican Kelly Loeffler and Democrat Raphael Warnock and the other is between Republican David Perdue and Democrat John Ossoff. If you’re still not sure who you’re voting for, or woke up this morning and realized there was an election, here are some recent stories relating to the senate race.

• 
  Valdosta City Manager and Assistant Both Resign Within 24 Hours
• 
  Layoffs of Federal Workers Begin as Government Shutdown Enters Week 2
• 
  MEET WILL CAGLE: Cherokee’s Newest Commissioner Pledged to Donate His Salary
• 
  What’s Next For Georgia’s Federal Workers as Government Shutdown Continues?
• 
  Is The Chattahoochee National Recreation Area Open During The Government Shutdown?
• 
  Warner Robins Waives Utility Fees As Federal Shutdown Hits Air Force Base
• 
  Government Shutdown Hits Home For 110,000 Georgia Workers
• 
  Does The Government Shutdown Matter in Georgia?
• 
  More Than 100,000 Georgians Impacted By Government Shutdown
• 
  Do You Still Have to Pay Your Student Loans During The Government Shutdown?
• 
  Congressman Hank Johnson Keeps Office Open During Government Shutdown
• 
  Government Shutdown Could Slow Down Air Travel: Here’s Why
• 
  Georgia Senators Blast ICE Over 14 Deaths And Detention Conditions
• 
  Community Rallies For Georgia Barber Detained by ICE
• 
  Marjorie Taylor Greene Again Calls for ‘National Divorce’ After Killing of Charlie Kirk

Weather:

Temperatures will get up to about 52 degrees today with minimal chance for rain. You’ll want to vote during the day though. Evening temperatures will dip to 39 degrees and may hit freezing in the overnight hours.

Coronavirus: More than 6,000 Georgians are testing positive for coronavirus per day. The 7-day-average is the highest it has been in the state.