Mississippi Senate Vote Margin
An Associated Press update Sunday morning showed Democratic candidate Scott Colom leading Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes, with 467,930 votes to her 465,356.
About 97% of votes were counted in the razor-close contest, while absentee and provisional ballots could still affect the outcome. A Colom victory would be the first time Mississippi has elected a Black U.S. senator since the Reconstruction era.
No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate election in the state since 1982. Even though Black residents make up roughly 40% of the state’s total population, Black Mississippians have historically experienced limited representation in top governmental positions.
Delta Canvassing Efforts
Black organizers in Mississippi’s Delta helped put Scott Colom within reach of the historic Senate win. Working in Holmes County, canvassing personnel alongside organizer Kameisha Smith successfully registered 283 voters, provided transportation to polling sites, and assisted individuals in resolving problems with their ballots.
Turnout rose in the county, and late-counted votes put Colom ahead there by 28 votes. The review also revealed barriers to voting, as some ballots were rejected over late registration forms, eligibility rules, or missing identification.
Kameisha Smith said she was removed from the voter rolls after an address change.
Mississippi Counts Absentee and Affidavit Ballots Until Nov. 10
The remaining ballots include absentee ballots and provisional ballots, known in Mississippi as affidavit ballots. Some affidavit ballots require voters to resolve identification or registration issues before they can be counted.
Qualifying absentee ballots can arrive through Tuesday, Nov. 10. Voters who cast affidavit ballots because of an ID issue have until then to provide identification. Mississippi’s 82 counties must certify results by Nov. 13.
Secretary of State Michael Watson stated in an update on X that around 3,300 absentee ballots remained outstanding. WDAM-7 estimated that between 12,000 and 20,000 provisional votes remain uncounted.
Senate Control Remains Unchanged Despite Mississippi Legal Disputes
Democrats have already won control of the Senate in the midterm elections, so the result in Mississippi would not change the chamber’s balance of power. Meanwhile, Alaska hosts the remaining uncalled Senate contest, featuring a slim advantage for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola over sitting Republican Dan Sullivan.
Legal teams have been sent to Mississippi by both political organizations, with GOP representatives calling on officials to safeguard documentation tied to the uncounted votes in anticipation of potential courtroom battles. Mississippi has no automatic recount procedure, and any recount or ballot review would require a court order, with campaigns able to pursue legal action county by county.
Earlier coverage: Scott Colom leads Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi Senate race
