There's still time to vote in the GOP House runoff today since the polls don't close until 7 p.m. All in line at that time can vote.

While traditionally, runoff voter turnouts are less than the primary itself, the Hall County elections office reports early voting and absentee ballot requests are higher. This probably means a bigger turnout can be expected in Hall County this time. That could bode well for hometown candidate Lee Hawkins.

Meanwhile, some of the other counties in this side of the district, such as Forsyth and Dawson, are expecting the traditional fewer runoff voters. That could not bode as well for Hawkins, who needs all the votes he can get from this side of the district.

On the other hand, it could be indicative that Tom Graves who led him in the primary isn't picking up as many votes there as he anticipated. Who knows?

I haven't seen early voting and absentee ballot trends in the counties in the middle and on the other side of he district.

One factor many overlook is that while both runoff candidates are Republican, this wasn't a GOP primary. It is a nonpartisan (no primary) special election for the congressional vacancy created when Nathan Deal resigned to seek the Georgia governorship. It had Democrat and Independent candidates. All Democrats can vote just as some did in the first round.

Also, if you were one of the many Democrat, Republican or Independent registered voters who didn't vote in the first round, you are eligible to vote this time. Too, that won't prevent Democrats from switching back and voting in their own upcoming regular Democratic primary.

Whichever candidate is able to tap these Democrats might see the margin of victory there.

I suspect that the winner of the runoff will have the upper hand in the primary for the next term starting in January. Given that Republicans will gain a number of seats, maybe even enough to get control of the House, the runoff winner repeating in the regular election he'll have a big jump up the seniority ladder. Like it not, the fact is seniority counts big in Congress.

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The latest statewide poll I've seen must have brought smiles to Deal's gubernatorial campaign. It showed him in second place with front-runner John Oxendine's lead margin shrinking, Karen Handel was a hair behind Eric Johnson, but both were several points behind Deal, who was the only one gaining percentage.

Perhaps even better for him in the long haul, that poll also showed any of the top three Republicans would defeat presumed Democratic nominee and former Gov. Roy Barnes, but that Deal would beat him by the widest margin than any GOP candidate. In the primary, both parties should want to nominate their candidates with the best chance to win.

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It's a sad goodbye to Col. George Austin who after retirement from the military was Gainesville's Public Works Director for 17 years and instituted many innovations still in place today. A builder, literally and figuratively, was he.

Remember, it's your civic duty to vote. Go do it!

Ted Oglesby is retired associate and opinion page editor of The Times. His column appears biweekly on Tuesdays and on gainesvilletimes.com. You can contact him at P.O. Box 663, Gainesville, GA 30503.