Mississippi Senate Race: Why It Isn’t Called Yet

Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race between Scott Colom and Cindy Hyde-Smith was not called on election night and is still being counted. Democrats have already won control of the Senate, so this race decides the size of the majority, not which party holds it.

Quick Answer

Status: Not called. Scott Colom led Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes in the November 6, 2026 count.
Why so slow?: The margin is a few thousand votes and thousands of affidavit and absentee ballots are still being verified county by county.
How it’s decided: Most votes wins — no runoff.
Next date: November 10, 2026: mail absentee deadline.

Where the Count Stands

Associated Press 2026 Senate results, as of November 6 at 6:02 PM ET. Unofficial until Mississippi certifies.

Candidate	Votes	Share
Scott ColomDDemocrat	467,930	49.08%
Cindy Hyde-SmithRRepublican, incumbent	465,356	48.81%
Ty PinkinsIIndependent	20,028	2.10%

Margin: 2,574 votes (0.27 points). AP estimated about 97% of the expected vote had been counted. Still to come were late-arriving mail absentee ballots and thousands of affidavit ballots — estimates ranged from about 14,000 to 18,000 statewide.

Snapshot from Associated Press 2026 Senate results. Counts move as ballots are added; this site does not call races.

Why the Race Hasn’t Been Called

A race is called when the votes left to count can no longer change the outcome. In Mississippi the gap between Scott Colom and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith has been a few thousand votes out of more than 950,000, and the ballots still outstanding could cover that gap several times over.

Most of those ballots are affidavit ballots, which cannot be counted until each county's election commission confirms the voter was eligible. That review happens county by county and takes days. Secretary of State Michael Watson also said about 3,600 mail absentee ballots could still arrive, though not all would reach county officials by the statutory November 10 deadline.

The count has moved as counties reported: early in the week Colom led by a few dozen votes, and by Friday his lead was in the low thousands. A lead that size can still change in either direction while affidavit ballots are reviewed.

How the Winner Is Decided

Mississippi does not hold runoffs in regular general elections for federal office. The candidate with the most votes wins, even with less than 50% — so neither leading candidate needs a majority, and there is no December runoff. (Mississippi’s 2018 Senate runoff was a special election, which follows different rules.)

The race ends when the count is complete and certified. The Associated Press will call it before then if the remaining ballots can no longer change the result.

Mississippi has no automatic recount and no recount process for this race, according to MPB News. Both campaigns have said they are preparing for possible legal challenges.

What Is an Affidavit Ballot?

An affidavit ballot is Mississippi’s version of a provisional ballot. A voter casts one when their eligibility can’t be confirmed at the polling place — for example, when their name isn’t on the precinct roll or they don’t have photo ID with them.

The ballot is sealed in an envelope with the voter’s sworn statement. After Election Day, the county election commission checks it against the voter-registration records. If the voter was eligible, the ballot is counted; if not, it is rejected. What the voter has to do afterward depends on why they used an affidavit ballot; the county circuit clerk can tell them.

Because these ballots are counted last and in batches, they can move a close race after election night. Both campaigns have lawyers watching the review, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee asked county officials to set aside and preserve all affidavit ballots.

Key Dates

Tue, Nov 10Mail absentee deadlineLast day for mail absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to reach county officials.
Fri, Nov 13Counties certifyDeadline for counties to finish counting and certify their results, including affidavit ballots.

More on how long every state counts: when will we know the 2026 results. Full Senate and House picture: 2026 election results. Mississippi’s delegation: Mississippi senators and representatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is winning the Mississippi Senate race?

No winner has been called. In the Associated Press count as of November 6, 2026, Democrat Scott Colom had 467,930 votes (49.08%) and Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith had 465,356 (48.81%), a 2,574-vote margin, with independent Ty Pinkins at 2.10%. Thousands of affidavit and absentee ballots were still being reviewed.

When will the Mississippi Senate race be called?

There is no set date. The Associated Press calls a race once the ballots left to count can no longer change the winner. Counties must certify their results by November 13, 2026, so most of the remaining affidavit ballots should be counted by then.

Will the Mississippi Senate race go to a runoff?

No. Mississippi does not hold runoffs in regular general elections for federal office, so the candidate with the most votes wins even without 50%. Its 2018 Senate runoff happened because that was a special election.

What is an affidavit ballot in Mississippi?

It is Mississippi’s provisional ballot: cast when a voter’s eligibility can’t be confirmed at the polls, for example because their name isn’t on the roll or they lack photo ID. The county election commission reviews each one after Election Day and counts it only if the voter was eligible.

Is there a recount in Mississippi?

Mississippi has no automatic recount and no recount process for this race, according to MPB News. Both campaigns have said they are preparing for possible legal challenges.

Sources