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Follow our election coverage at redandblack.com/election and @redandblack on Twitter for updates on Georgia's Jan. 5 U.S. Senate runoff elections in Athens. 

8 a.m. In a livestream posted to Twitter, Democrat Jon Ossoff declared victory in his race against Republican incumbent David Perdue. This race has not yet been called. With 99.37% of precincts reported, Ossoff leads by less than a percentage point.

2 a.m. The Associated Press calls Democrat Raphael Warnock the winner of the Georgia Senate runoff election. Warnock makes history as the first Black senator from Georgia.

12 a.m., Jan. 6 As Tuesday turns to Wednesday, the runoff election results are still too close to call, according to the Associated Press.

10:30 p.m. Clarke County has counted all but provisional ballots. 

In Clarke, Democrat Jon Ossoff received 71% of the vote counted so far while Republican incumbent David Perdue received 29%. Democrat Raphael Warnock received 72% of the vote counted so far while Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler received 28%. The voter turnout rate among registered voter was 58.7%.

10 p.m. Unofficial and incomplete results show Ossoff and Warnock leading in Clarke County. 

8:20 p.m. Incomplete and unofficial early in-person voting results from Clarke County show Ossoff and Warnock leading in Clarke County. The results show 18,757 early votes, 24% of all registered voters in Clarke County. 100 ballots were split between parties. 

7:20 p.m. R&B photographer Taylor Gerlach is watching Athens-Clarke County collect and count absentee ballots — several bags have already arrived. The public is invited to watch.

R&B photographer Kathryn Skeean said at Clarke Central, poll manager Margaret Songster said they saw more voters today than on Nov. 3 for the general election.

7:11 p.m. The first batch of election results are tallied from Burke County.

7 p.m. Polls close across the state

5:20 p.m. BBQ for Democracy, a group from New Jersey, made their last stop in Georgia with free food at Ebenezer Baptist Church West. 

4:50 p.m. Candidate Jon Ossoff tweets an encouragement to vote in person today if a Georgia resident did not yet receive their absentee ballot that they requested. Ossoff said if this is the case, tell the poll worker to cancel the unreceived absentee ballot and vote in person.

4:30 p.m. News writer Emily Garcia reports 330 ballots have been cast by 4 p.m. at Barnett Shoals Elementary in Athens-Clarke County, according to Poll Manager Alva Rawles.

4 p.m. Sen. David Purdue tweets a joint statement with Sen. Loeffler about voter turnout. 

1 p.m. COVID-19 safety protocols are still in place at Athens polling locations, but mask-wearing is requested, not mandatory. 

Voter turnout is rivaling the Nov. 3 presidential election at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School.

12:45 p.m. Wait times at polling locations across Georgia average one minute, according to a press release from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office.

12 p.m. The Red & Black's photo team posted the first photo gallery at noon — there are still short to no lines across Athens polling locations.

PHOTOS: Athens voters cast ballots in Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff races

Even before the sun rose, Athens voters stood in line to cast their ballots for Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff races. Georgia's voters will decide which political party controls the Senate with these two contested seats. Our photographers did not see many long lines this morning, as many voters chose to vote early or utilize mail-in ballots. 

These photos were captured before polls opened at 7 a.m. until noon. To view a gallery of photos captured in the afternoon, 7 p.m. click here. 

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11 a.m. Candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock tweets to contact the voter protection hotline if voters encounter questions or problems while voting.

9 a.m. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger tweeted about moving toward an auditable paper ballot system for the runoff.

8 a.m. Lines at the polling locations are still short. News writer Sydney Dangremond caught up with a poll worker (who was briefly dogsitting a voter's dog) at Fire Station 3 in Five Points.

Sen. Kelly Loeffler tweeted that the polls are open and where to check polling places.

7 a.m. Polling locations open before the sunrise with a short wait time.