ATLANTA - After months of campaign rhetoric, the 2008 election season finally ends at 7 p.m. today when the Georgia polls close and the vote counting begins.

But some of the winners may not be known immediately.

First, races like those for the U.S. Senate and Georgia Court of Appeals that have more than two candidates could require a runoff in four weeks if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote.

And there are other reasons we may not know the outcome in close races.

Randy Evans, a Republican appointee to the State Elections Board, warns that the final results may not be available until Friday.

"These are legitimate issues surrounding the completion of the certification of the Georgia election results," he said.

Georgia voters have taken advantage of the change in state elections law that allows them to vote 45 days early at a few county offices or by mail on paper absentee ballots. This year has been the first presidential election under the expanded voting dates, and still there have been long lines.

While more than one of every three registered voters has already cast a ballot for president, U.S. senator, judges, legislators and constitutional amendments, there are an estimated 2 million votes to be cast today, prompting some observers to expect lengthy waits. Anyone in line when the polls are scheduled to close at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote even if it takes several more hours.

Democratic officials had called for counties to request federal permission to keep the polls open beyond 7 p.m. even if no one is in line, but no county will, according to Matt Carrothers, spokesman for the Georgia Secretary of State's Office.

Waiting for those in line won't be the only delay.

Plus, people who face questions about their qualifications will cast paper provisional ballots which won't be counted until they clear up the dispute. The most common snag expected are people who don't present a photo ID. They'll have 48 hours to bring one by.

Ballots mailed by overseas voters or those in the military don't have to arrive until Friday, adding more delay to the process.

The paper ballots, whether absentee or provisional, will be scanned by a machine that will count them, a process that can take longer than producing a tally from the electronic voting machines used in person.

Despite the volume and complexity, state officials predict few glitches.

"Georgia's county election offices, they've been preparing with the Secretary of State's Office for a year now," Carrothers said. "The overwhelming majority of Georgia's elections offices have prepared for and managed a very smooth early-voting process.

"We don't expect any problems on Election Day."

After the historic presidential contest - with the first major-party nominees that include a black, a woman and the oldest candidate - the next most visible race for Georgia voters is the one for U.S. Senate.

Incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss faces Democratic challenger Jim Martin whose strength has surged in the last four weeks, according to polls. The presence of a third candidate, Libertarian Allen Buckley, could force a runoff between Chambliss and Martin.

Buckley predicted it Sunday night during a debate televised statewide by Georgia Public Broadcasting.

The Chambliss camp discounted the possibility Monday.

"We have a lot of momentum coming off a two-week bus tour," said Chambliss spokeswoman Michelle Grasso. "The senator is confident that he can win without a runoff."

Martin, though, considered a runoff more of a possibility when he met with reporters Monday.

"We're expecting to win, whether it's tomorrow or in the runoff," he said. "We're expecting to win because our message is what is resonating with the people of Georgia."