Mississippi Senate race hangs on thousands of uncounted ballots
Democratic challenger Scott Colom trails by roughly 2,500 votes, but officials estimate up to 20,000 ballots remain pending certification by Nov. 13.
By Talia Bennett ·
Mississippi election officials are still counting ballots in the state's U.S. Senate race as of Friday night, leaving the contest without a declared winner.
Scott Colom, the Democratic challenger, holds a lead of approximately 2,500 votes over incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. This margin is narrow enough that officials are proceeding with caution to ensure the final totals are accurate.
Mike Hurst, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, stated that the race is far from over. He estimated that around 20,000 outstanding ballots still need to be counted. This figure includes mail-in, absentee, and provisional ballots that were set aside for verification issues.
Voters have until Nov. 10 to resolve any issues with their provisional ballots. The total number of remaining votes is difficult to determine precisely because of these late-arriving mail-in and provisional submissions.
Emily Ommundsen, a political science professor at the University of Mississippi, noted that counties are being particularly judicious in their counting process due to the close margin. She explained that officials are hesitant to draw conclusions until the legally prescribed counting period is complete and correct totals are reported.
Both campaigns have deployed legal teams to address potential challenges. Colom said his team has an army of lawyers ready to work with election commissioners and circuit clerks. Ommundsen predicted that if the margins remain this tight, court-ordered considerations regarding which ballots to count may be necessary.
Mississippi is the only state in the nation without a formal process for a vote recount. The deadline to certify the final votes is Nov. 13, which Ommundsen identified as the first major opportunity to see how the race shakes out.
