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The violent scenes in Washington, DC this week risk overshadowing Georgia's historic election result. The Democrats' victory in this Deep South state holds vitally important lessons for the future of US democracy.

Biden's party may now have a slim majority in the US Congress, but the country remains bitterly divided and – as this week demonstrated – support for Trump is not going away.

Some suggest Trump’s persistent false claims of election fraud hurt the Republicans in this election. But, as Mary Fitzgerald and Aaron White learned travelling across Georgia, the Democratic victory here didn't happen overnight.

They spoke to dozens of voters and activists on the ground, as they watched an ambitious, long-term, grassroots operation help turn this traditionally red state blue.

Just as in the 1960s with the Civil Rights movement, activists and organisers from Martin Luther King’s home state are once again sending leaders in Washington a powerful signal of where things need to go next. But will they listen?

Andra Gillespie is a political science professor at Emory University in Atlanta.

openDemocracy’s editor in chief Mary Fitzgerald spoke with Andra for the recent ourVoices documentary episode on the Georgia Senate runoff races.

Their extended conversation dives into the political history of Georgia and why it is suddenly competitive after Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state since 1992.

On 5 January, a special Senate run-off election in the ‘Deep South’ state of Georgia will determine the future of Biden’s presidency. Will the new president be able to pass badly needed COVID relief; take action on climate change, racial justice and much more?

The voters of Georgia will decide the crucial power balance in the US Senate – and right now, the polls are neck and neck.

Ahead of the vote, we’ve been talking to friends, family, political experts and regular people across the state. They’ve told us how record-breaking sums of cash are piling into Georgia; of fierce battles over voter suppression, corruption and dirty tricks – and of how millions of Black, Brown and younger voters are mobilising in this historic race.

We’ve spoken with the trailblazing Nse Ufot of the New Georgia Project about how grassroots organisations like hers have registered millions of new voters. Investigative journalist Greg Palast has told us about how he uncovered documents showing widespread voter suppression.

We’ve heard from Republican lawyers waging war on the state’s voting system; from elusive ‘swing voters’ – and from citizens just struggling to survive.

As we’ve been discovering, the story of Georgia is both a story of what’s deeply broken in American politics – and of how dramatic change is possible, fast.

And follow us on Twitter @maryftz and @aaronwolfwhite to get our latest updates from the ground, as we travel across this new battleground state during the final crunch days of this race.

This episode was produced by Freddie Stuart. Special thanks to Penny Dale

In this ourVoices special, openDemocracy’s Editor in Chief Mary Fitzgerald travels 1,400 miles across the midwestern United States with North America editor, Aaron White.

Their journey starts on the eve of the US election in the city of Louisville, Kentucky – where Mary’s family has lived for generations – and ends on the east coast in Philadelphia, right as jubilant crowds are proclaiming Biden the winner.

Despite the carnival, they found a country facing a dark winter; with nearly half a million COVID deaths projected by year-end, and an economic crisis not seen since the Great Depression. People from all walks of life say they desperately need unity and leadership.

But with Republicans still likely to wield Senate control, much of Biden’s agenda will be blocked. And, as we heard in episode 1, the coalition that propelled him to power is fragile.

With the country and Washington DC more fractured than ever, is there any hope that Biden can deliver what’s needed? And what are the consequences if he doesn’t?

Listen in on their journey and discover what’s happening outside the current political system: on the streets of big cities, in small towns in the rural midwest – and among a new generation of activists daring to imagine a radically different future.

Jecorey Arthur is the soon to be youngest member ever elected to the City Council of Louisville in the state of Kentucky. He’s also a professor and a musician.

openDemocracy’s editor in chief Mary Fitzgerald spoke with Jecorey for the recent ourVoices documentary episode on the US election.

Here is their extended conversation.

From race to a broken political system, the story of Louisville is in many ways the story of America.

In this ourVoices special, openDemocracy’s Editor in Chief Mary Fitzgerald travels back to Louisville, Kentucky: the city where her father’s family has lived for generations.

For months, the city centre has been occupied by Black Lives Matter activists, continuing to protest daily over the police killing of Breonna Taylor. They say they won’t give up, no matter who wins the US election.

Kentucky is also the home of one of America’s giant political figures: Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate Majority leader who’s been in power 36 years. It looks inevitable the state will choose Trump, and Mitch, again this time.

But as Mary discovers, what’s happening on the ground in Louisville still tells us a lot about where the country could be headed on November 3rd – and in the months and years to come.