Elections Superintendent Sam Davis said early voting turnout was "exceptionally high" as around 1,700 Bryan County residents voted for either incumbent U.S. Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss or challenging Democrat Jim Martin this past week. Election day for the race is Dec. 2.

Davis said, in addition, around 700 absentee ballots have been received at the Bryan County registrar’s office.

Interest is particularly high for this race, seeing how it could potentially determine whether there are enough Senate Democrats to stop extended GOP debate from blocking their agenda.

Chambliss beat Martin by 110,000 votes on Nov. 4, but it was not enough to avoid a runoff. Twice as many voted for Chambliss in Bryan County as he garnered about 8,000 votes while Martin got just under 4,000. Libertarian Allen Buckley drew enough statewide votes to deprive Chambliss of the majority needed to avoid a runoff.

Both candidates have set their sights on neighboring Savannah, and Chambliss has had some help locally. Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney stumped for him Friday at Savannah’s Charles H. Morris Center while former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is slated to appear at a Chambliss rally Monday inside the Savannah Civic Center. Monday’s event is free to the public and starts at 11 a.m.