The U.S. Senate race between incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith and Scott Colom is still too close to call, a full week after the Nov. 3 elections. We could learn who won this week, but it depends on whether a candidate files a lawsuit to argue the results.
Two important deadlines voters should know about fall today: Provisional, or affidavit, ballots must be verified by the end of business today, Nov. 10, to be counted in the election. Mail-in absentee ballots must be received by today and postmarked no later than Nov. 3.
Nationally, Democrats have won control of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House in midterm elections. The Mississippi and Alaska Senate races have not been called.
Hyde-Smith, a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, wants to keep representing the Magnolia State in Washington, D.C. Then-President Joe Biden nominated Colom, an attorney, to be a federal judge in 2023. Hyde-Smith was instrumental in blocking his appointment.
Mississippi kept all four incumbents in U.S. House races: Democrat Bennie Thompson (District 2) and Republicans Trent Kelly (District 1), Michael Guest (District 3) and Mike Ezell (District 4).
Here’s what voters need to know about current vote counts, how soon we could get final election results in the U.S. Senate race and the important deadlines voters should know this week.
How close is the US Senate race in Mississippi?
Live totals showed Colom in the lead by about 2,760 votes Monday night. Both he and Hyde-Smith have about 49% of the vote. Independent Ty Pinkins has just over 2% of the vote.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson said Monday evening on Facebook that more than 2,575 mail-in absentee ballots are still out. Counties are still processing affidavit ballots too.