Votes continue to be counted in Mississippi’s Senate race

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Mississippi election officials continued to count ballots in the state’s U.S. Senate race on Friday, which remains without a declared winner.

Democrat Scott Colom leads incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by about 2,500 votes as of Friday night. Thousands more ballots could still possibly be counted in the race.

Emily Ommundsen, a University of Mississippi political science professor, said counties are being particularly judicious in determining that the count is accurate because of the narrow margins of the race.

“Because of this narrow majority, we are we are hesitant to make any conclusions about the outcome of the race, as these final ballots are still being counted, within this legally prescribed period, where counties are ensuring that they are reporting the correct totals,” Ommundsen said.

The total number of remaining ballots remains unclear because of provisional ballots as well late-arriving mail-in ballots.

“Let me be clear. This race is far from being over,” said Mike Hurst, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, on Thursday. “We estimate that there could be approximately 20,000 outstanding ballots left to be counted. That includes mail-in or absentee ballots and affidavit or provisional ballots.”

Provisional ballots are ballots that have been set aside because of verification issues. Voters have until Nov. 10 to resolve them.

Both campaigns have deployed legal teams that could address possible legal challenges in the days ahead.

“We got an army of lawyers. Those election commissioners and circuit clerks, they’re not going to be intimidated,” Colom said Friday.

Mississippi is the only state in the nation without any recourse for a vote recount. But challenges are still likely.

The deadline to certify votes in Mississippi is Nov. 13.

“If these margins stay as close as they are, I expect some court ordered considerations, of which ballots should be permitted to be to be counted,” said Ommundsen. “But the 13th is really that first opportunity that I think we will have to see to see how things are going to shake out here in Mississippi.”