The Stunning Mississippi Senate Race Is Still Undecided

4 min read

Mississippi’s Senate race was still too close to call on Friday, November 6, 2026. Democrat Scott Colom led Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by about 2,000 votes.

Key Points

Scott Colom led Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,029 votes in an unofficial count on Friday afternoon.
About 3% of the expected vote was still outstanding, including affidavit ballots.
Both campaigns are now fighting over how officials handle the remaining ballots.

Where the Mississippi Senate Race Stands

As of 2:45 p.m. Central Time on Friday, Colom had 467,153 votes, or 49.1%. Hyde-Smith had 465,124 votes, or 48.8%.

Those numbers come from WLBT, a Jackson television station. Officials had counted about 96.8% of the expected vote.

The lead has moved during the week. On Wednesday, Colom was ahead by only a few dozen votes, Mississippi Free Press reported.

Good to know. Unofficial counts often shift in the days after an election as late ballots are checked and added.

Why Counting Is Taking So Long

The race is extremely close, so every remaining ballot matters. Officials are still reviewing absentee ballots and affidavit ballots.

Voters cast an affidavit ballot when officials need to check their eligibility first. Election staff verify each one before it counts. The 2026 voter guide from the Mississippi Secretary of State explains the rules for voters.

2,029Colom’s lead in the unofficial count on Friday afternoon, WLBT reported.

A Growing Fight Over Ballots

On Thursday, Hyde-Smith’s representatives sent letters to counties. They asked officials to preserve all affidavit ballots.

Colom’s campaign called that request an “unlawful attack on voter privacy,” according to WLBT.

On Friday, Colom urged the senator to speak publicly. “She needs to answer questions,” he said. He also said he was ready to accept the final results.

In addition, he argued that the senator has no realistic path to victory.

Hyde-Smith had not conceded at the time of writing.

How long are you willing to wait for an accurate vote count?

As long as it takes
A few days
Results should come on election night

Who Are the Candidates

Hyde-Smith has served in the Senate since 2018. Before that, she was Mississippi’s agriculture commissioner.

The governor appointed her to the Senate in April 2018. She then won a special election that November, and voters reelected her in 2020.

Colom is a Democratic district attorney from Columbus in northeast Mississippi. A win would make him the first Democrat to win a Senate race in the state in decades.

Candidate	Party	Votes (unofficial)	Share
Scott Colom	Democrat	467,153	49.1%
Cindy Hyde-Smith	Republican	465,124	48.8%

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Why This Race Matters

Democrats have already won control of the Senate this year. Still, each extra seat would make their majority easier to manage.

A Democratic win in Mississippi would also be a surprise. The state usually votes strongly Republican in statewide races. Its other Senate seat belongs to Republican Roger Wicker.

Officials are still counting other close races too. For example, no one has called the Alaska Senate race yet.

What Happens Next

Counties must finish counting and certify their results. After that, the state certifies the final totals. You can see the senators who currently represent Mississippi on the official Senate website.

If the margin stays very small, either side could seek a recount or challenge ballots in court. Digieh will update this story once news groups call the race.

For the wider picture, read our guide to the 2026 midterm results and see how Democrats flipped Texas.

Try this today. If you cast an affidavit ballot, contact your county circuit clerk to check whether it was counted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is winning the Mississippi Senate race?

As of Friday afternoon, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,029 votes in an unofficial count.

What is an affidavit ballot in Mississippi?

Voters use it when officials must check their eligibility. Staff review each one before deciding whether it counts.

When will the Mississippi Senate race be called?

There is no set time. News groups will call it once the remaining ballots make the result clear.

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Editor’s Note

This story is accurate as of the unofficial count at 2:45 p.m. Central Time on November 6, 2026. The vote totals are changing as counting continues, and Digieh will update this article when the race is called.

Spot an error in this article? Please contact us at support@digieh.com or read our Corrections Policy.

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