Colom Extends Lead to 1,138 Votes in Mississippi Senate Race

By late Wednesday, Democrat Scott Colom had widened his lead over Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith to 1,138 votes, with 96% of expected ballots counted. Colom had 464,926 votes to Hyde-Smith’s 463,788, a gap of just 0.1 percentage points. The Associated Press has not called the race because ballots remain, and Hyde-Smith still has a possible path to catch up. ^3,10

That 1,138-vote lead comes after the count shifted as officials added votes. Hyde-Smith led early, when about 30% of ballots had been counted, but Colom moved ahead as more results came in. The remaining votes include mail ballots and affidavit ballots, Mississippi’s term for provisional ballots. Secretary of State Michael Watson said about 3,600 mail ballots could still arrive, while the number of affidavit ballots is unknown. Colom’s campaign estimated that roughly 15,000 affidavit ballots might remain, but state officials could not confirm that figure. ^2,9

Those ballots matter because Mississippi has no formal recount process: candidates cannot request one, and the state does not start one automatically. Instead, a candidate may examine ballot materials after officials certify the result, then file a legal challenge if they find problems. The close race has drawn attention because Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1982. If Colom wins, he would also be the first Black senator elected in Mississippi since 1875. Democrats have already secured control of the Senate, so this result will change the size of their majority, not which party leads. ^2,3,7

The 3,600 mail ballots must arrive within five business days of Election Day, by November 10, if they were postmarked by November 3. Officials must also check affidavit ballots before counting them. The state’s count and certification will determine the winner; local clerks have warned that a final result may not come until next week. After certification, either campaign could challenge the result in court, but Mississippi offers no simple recount to settle the dispute. ^2,6