Colom leads Hyde-Smith as ballot count continues, deadline looms

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — Mississippi is still waiting to learn who the state’s next senator will be one week after Election Day. With affidavit ballots and absentee ballots still being counted, it will all come down to those last few votes.

As of noon on Tuesday, Nov. 10, Democrat Scott Colom leads Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,575 votes. Colom has 468,020 votes, or 49.1%, and Hyde-Smith has 465,445 votes, or 48.8%.

Mail-in absentee ballots had to be postmarked by Election Day and received within five business days. If a mail-in ballot arrives later than Tuesday, Nov. 10, it will not count.

Those who cast an affidavit ballot at the polls because they didn’t have a photo ID have until Tuesday at 5 p.m. to verify their ballot at their county circuit clerk’s office. See a list of those office locations HERE.

At last check, Secretary of State Michael Watson said 75 of 82 counties had uploaded partial unofficial results, 1 of 82 counties had uploaded their official results, and counties were still waiting for 2,578 mail-in ballots. Of the 15,547 affidavit ballots processed, 76% had been accepted.

Election officials have until Friday, Nov. 13 to certify election results.

Election commissioner offices across the state are continuing to work hard, often past their scheduled hours, to get votes counted.

A crowd filled the Harrison County Election Commissioner’s Office in Gulfport again on Tuesday. Representatives from the Republican and Democratic parties, along with several organizations like the NAACP, ACLU, and Southern Poverty Law Center, were also on hand.

Gulfport NAACP President Gary Fredericks spoke with WLOX Tuesday morning.

“We all in Mississippi want fairness, equality... and certainly support accountability and transparency... Let every vote count. And we’re just here to observe,” Fredericks said.

Harrison County Republican Committee President Pete Wilson is also watching the process of validating and counting the affidavit ballots.

See the latest election results HERE.

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