Three days after Election Day, two U.S. Senate races are still undecided. In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom’s lead over Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith grew past 2,000 votes on Friday, Nov. 6, as counties counted affidavit ballots, while both parties prepared for possible legal fights. In Alaska, the contest between Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is headed for a ranked-choice tabulation later this month.
Neither race will change which party controls the Senate. Democrats have secured at least 54 seats, enough for a majority starting in January, according to CBS News projections. Upstormed News reported on the overall results in Democrats Win Control of House and Senate in 2026 Midterm Elections. But the outcomes will decide the size of the new majority, which matters for close votes on nominees and legislation.
Mississippi: lead grows as affidavit ballots are counted
As of late Friday morning, Colom had 467,066 votes to Hyde-Smith’s 465,056, a margin of 2,010 votes, or 49.1% to 48.8%, according to Associated Press figures cited by the Mississippi Free Press. Thousands of affidavit ballots, which are similar to provisional ballots in other states, were still being reviewed, and more mail absentee ballots could still arrive.
Counting has moved county by county. On Thursday, Nov. 5, Secretary of State Michael Watson said about 3,300 absentee mail ballots were still outstanding and 6,936 affidavit ballots had been processed. Some counties, including DeSoto, said they did not expect to finish their affidavit counts until next week.
Both sides have taken steps to protect their positions. The National Republican Senatorial Committee asked all 82 counties to separate and preserve affidavit ballots from the Nov. 3 election. State Republican Party Chairman Mike Hurst said the party wants to make sure every ballot counted was cast legally, and noted that some counties had not said how many affidavit ballots they hold. The Colom campaign opposed the request. Its campaign manager, Gerard Henderson, called it “a desperate stunt,” and lawyers for the campaign told election officials that setting those ballots aside would violate voters’ rights and state law. Separately, the NAACP said it was sending legal and field staff to the state, and the ACLU disputed a county policy limiting where observers could watch the count.
No recount in Mississippi
Unlike many states, Mississippi has no formal recount process, ABC News reported. A candidate cannot request one, and none is triggered automatically by a close margin. After results are certified, a candidate may examine ballot boxes and materials and, if problems are found, file a legal challenge.
Key dates in Mississippi, according to the Mississippi Free Press and ABC News:
- Nov. 10: Last day for mailed absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive, and last day for voters who lacked ID at the polls to fix their affidavit ballots with their circuit clerk.
- Nov. 13: Deadline for counties to certify results and send them to the secretary of state.
If Colom wins, he would be the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Mississippi since 1982 and the state’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction, ABC News noted. Hyde-Smith won her 2020 race with 54% of the vote.
Alaska: ranked-choice count set for Nov. 18
In Alaska, Peltola led Sullivan by 637 votes in the state’s unofficial count as of its Wednesday afternoon update, Newsweek reported. Because no candidate has more than 50% of first-choice votes, the race is expected to go to a ranked-choice tabulation, in which the lowest-finishing candidates are eliminated and their voters’ next choices are counted.
The ballot included other candidates, including Republican Gerald Heikes and a second candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., according to Alaska News. Their voters’ backup choices could decide the race. Alaska News also reported that a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to hold up certification was dismissed by a federal judge, and that the department has appealed.
Key dates in Alaska, according to Alaska News and Newsweek:
- Nov. 10: Counting begins on early votes cast from the Friday before Election Day through Tuesday, and on questioned ballots.
- Nov. 13: Last day for domestic absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive.
- Nov. 18: Overseas ballot deadline and ranked-choice tabulation.
- Nov. 25: State target date for certification.
Voters with questions about these deadlines should check with the Mississippi Secretary of State or the Alaska Division of Elections, the official sources for each state’s rules.
Why it matters for families
Close races are a reminder that every ballot is counted, sometimes over several days or weeks. Lengthy counts are normal in many states and follow rules written in state law. The final numbers in Mississippi and Alaska will shape how much room the new Senate majority has to pass bills and confirm nominees in 2027.
What to watch next
Watch for Mississippi counties to finish affidavit counts before the Nov. 13 certification deadline, and for any post-certification legal challenges. In Alaska, the next major updates are expected Nov. 10 and Nov. 13, with the ranked-choice result on Nov. 18. Upstormed News will follow it.
Read more: Jeffries Launches Speaker Bid as Scalise and Jordan Vie to Lead House GOP
Have you ever waited days to learn the result of a close race in your state, and how did your local officials keep you informed?
Sources: Mississippi Free Press, “Liveblog: Mississippi’s 2026 U.S. Senate Election Results” (November 5-6, 2026); ABC News, “What to know about recounts in Mississippi with razor-thin margin in Senate race” (November 4, 2026); CBS News, “2026 Senate midterm election results as Democrats win control” (November 5, 2026); Alaska News, “Peltola leads Sullivan by 626 votes with nearly all Alaska precincts counted” (November 4, 2026); Newsweek, “Forget the Second Dan Sullivan. Eric Hafner Was Alaska’s Bigger Spoiler” (November 2026)
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