The deadline for counties to receive and count absentee ballots in Tuesday's runoff election has been extended.

Interim Secretary of State Robyn Crittenden entered a proposed settlement this afternoon that would instruct counties to allow mail-in ballots to be counted as long as they are received by Friday, Dec. 7 and are postmarked by Tuesday, Dec. 4.

A Thursday lawsuit from the Democratic Party of Georgia alleged close to half of the state's 159 counties did not send out absentee ballots to those who requested them until this week.

It’s the second settlement entered by Crittenden’s office in recent days. Yesterday, a court order effectively invalidated a state law that limited who was allowed to be an interpreter for Georgians with limited English Proficiency.

There are two statewide races on the runoff ballot — secretary of state and a seat on the Public Service Commission.

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