ATLANTA (AP) — Early in-person voting began Monday in Georgia for the state's two U.S. Senate runoffs.

The early voting period runs as late as Dec. 31 in some counties.

It could determine the outcome of the races between Republican U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

A majority of votes before the Nov. 3 general election were cast in person during early voting.

The period could be even more important during the runoffs because of the shortened period for voters to request and return ballots by mail.

More than 125,000 people cast ballots in October on the first day of early voting. Lines were long then and could be long again Monday.