Mississippi Senate race results: Scott Colom could become first Democrat to win since 1982; when will final results be out?

The Mississippi Senate race election results remain too close to call, with Democratic challenger Scott Colom holding a narrow lead over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith as election officials continue counting outstanding ballots. Nearly a week after the November 3 midterm elections, the closely watched contest has yet to produce a definitive winner in Mississippi .

The race has drawn national attention because a victory for Colom would mark a major political upset in a state that has long been considered a Republican stronghold. The outcome could also make history, as Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the US Senate since 1982. Both candidates are separated by only a few thousand votes, and the remaining absentee and provisional ballots could determine who wins the Senate seat.

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Mississippi Senate race election results: Who is leading?

As of the latest Associated Press figures available on November 9, Democrat Scott Colom was leading the race with approximately 467,961 votes, representing 49.08% of the total. Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith had received 465,425 votes, or 48.82%. Independent candidate Ty Pinkins was in third place with 20,032 votes, accounting for approximately 2.10%.

The margin between Colom and Hyde-Smith was approximately 2,536 votes, with about 97% of the estimated vote counted. The narrow difference means neither candidate can yet be declared the winner.

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When will we know who won the Mississippi Senate race?

A final result could emerge later this week, but officials are still working through outstanding ballots and verification procedures. Tuesday, November 10, is an important deadline for the election. Mail-in absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day must reach county election officials within five business days to be counted. Voters who cast affidavit ballots because of identification or registration issues also have until Tuesday to resolve certain problems with their ballots.

According to Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson, counties were still awaiting 2,578 mail-in ballots as of Monday. Officials had processed 15,547 affidavit ballots, with approximately 76% accepted.

Hinds County, which includes the state capital Jackson and is a Democratic stronghold, could play a decisive role. County officials expect to finish processing most affidavit ballots before uploading the results on Wednesday, November 11.

Why are Mississippi Senate election results taking so long?

Mississippi follows a county-based election administration system, meaning its 82 counties are responsible for processing and reporting their own ballots. This can make the final counting process slower, particularly when officials have to verify absentee and affidavit ballots.

Affidavit ballots are provisional votes cast by people whose eligibility cannot immediately be confirmed at polling stations. These ballots must undergo additional checks before they can be included in the final count.

The state’s Secretary of State, Michael Watson, said 75 of the 82 counties had uploaded unofficial results as of Monday. All counties must certify their election results and submit them to the Secretary of State’s Office by November 13.

Why is the Mississippi Senate race historic?

The contest between Colom and Hyde-Smith has attracted national attention because a Democratic victory would represent a significant political shift in Mississippi.

The state has not elected a Democrat to the US Senate since 1982. Colom could also become Mississippi’s first Black US senator since the Reconstruction era, nearly 150 years ago.

His strong performance has been attributed partly to voter turnout in counties such as DeSoto, traditionally considered a Republican stronghold. Colom performed particularly well there, while Hyde-Smith received considerably fewer votes than Donald Trump had secured in the county during the 2024 presidential election.

With thousands of ballots still being processed, the final outcome remains uncertain. For now, Colom holds a narrow advantage, but Hyde-Smith has not conceded the race.