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Libertarian could trigger runoff in Georgia governor’s race

In this Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, file photo, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia Stacey Abrams, left, speaks as her Republican opponent Secretary of State Brian Kemp looks on during a debate in Atlanta. A federal judge says Georgia election officials must stop rejecting absentee ballots and absentee ballot applications because of a mismatched signature without first giving voters a chance to fix the problem. U.S. District Judge Leigh May on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018 ordered the secretary of state's office to instruct county election officials to stop the practice for the November midterm elections. She outlined a procedure to allow voters to resolve alleged signature discrepancies.(AP Photo/John Bazemore, Pool, File)
In this Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, file photo, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia Stacey Abrams, left, speaks as her Republican opponent Secretary of State Brian Kemp looks on during a debate in Atlanta. A federal judge says Georgia election officials must stop rejecting absentee ballots and absentee ballot applications because of a mismatched signature without first giving voters a chance to fix the problem. U.S. District Judge Leigh May on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018 ordered the secretary of state's office to instruct county election officials to stop the practice for the November midterm elections. She outlined a procedure to allow voters to resolve alleged signature discrepancies.(AP Photo/John Bazemore, Pool, File) In this Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, file photo, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia Stacey Abrams, left, speaks as her Republican opponent Secretary of State Brian Kemp looks on during a debate in Atlanta. A federal judge says Georgia election officials must stop rejecting absentee ballots and absentee ballot applications because of a mismatched signature without first giving voters a chance to fix the problem. U.S. District Judge Leigh May on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018 ordered the secretary of state's office to instruct county election officials to stop the practice for the November midterm elections. She outlined a procedure to allow voters to resolve alleged signature discrepancies.(AP Photo/John Bazemore, Pool, File)

By Associated Press 1 min read

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) – Ted Metz may not get many votes for Georgia governor on Election Day. But the Libertarian candidate is on the ballot, raising the chance that no one else will win an outright victory next week either.

The governor’s race between Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams is being closely watched across the U.S. Polls have consistently shown them running neck and neck.

If the election Tuesday proves as tight as polls predict, Metz’s third-party candidacy could force Abrams and Kemp into a Dec. 4 runoff. That’s because Georgia requires candidates to win with more than 50 percent of the vote.

Both parties are sending their top guns to Georgia. Former President Barack Obama plans to campaign Friday with Abrams. President Donald Trump has scheduled a Sunday rally with Kemp.