Mississippi Senate Results: Scott Colom Leads as Ballots Are Counted, November 5

Verified November 5, 2026, at 3:03 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−06:00).

Democrat Scott Colom is ahead of Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, but the contest remains uncalled as election officials process outstanding ballots. In a Decision Desk HQ tally updated at 2:30 p.m. CST on November 5, Colom led by 1,833 votes, with more than 95% of the estimated vote reported.

The close count means Colom has not yet secured a victory. The Associated Press also listed the race among those it had not called on Thursday, and additional eligible absentee and affidavit ballots could still change the margin.

Destaques

• Colom had 466,735 votes to Hyde-Smith’s 464,902 in the cited Decision Desk HQ snapshot.
• Independent Ty Pinkins had 20,044 votes, or 2.11%.
• Eligible mail-in absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day can arrive through November 10.
• Mississippi has no automatic recount process; a close margin alone does not trigger one.

What are the latest Mississippi Senate election results?

The Decision Desk HQ results showed Colom with 49.04% of the vote, Hyde-Smith with 48.85% and Pinkins with 2.11% in its November 5 snapshot. The figures are unofficial and will change as election officials report more votes.

Colom’s 1,833-vote advantage is the difference between the candidates in that particular tally, not a final margin. An earlier Associated Press report put his lead at 1,145 votes with an estimated 96% counted. Results providers update at different times, so readers comparing numbers should check the source and timestamp rather than combine figures from separate snapshots.

The percentage of the expected vote reported is an estimate, not a precise count of every ballot still to be reviewed. In a race this close, even a relatively small number of outstanding votes could matter if they favor one candidate strongly enough.

Did Scott Colom win the Senate race?

Not yet. Colom was leading in the reported count at the time of this check, but the AP had not declared a winner. A lead in unofficial returns is a current position, while a race call is a news organization’s determination that the trailing candidate cannot catch up. Certification is the separate official process of confirming election results.

The race is for a seat in the U.S. Senate, not the Mississippi state Senate. Hyde-Smith is seeking reelection, and Colom is the Democratic challenger. The general election took place on November 3.

Why are ballots still being counted in Mississippi?

Some ballots can be processed after Election Day under the state’s rules. The Mississippi secretary of state says mail-in absentee ballots must have been postmarked by November 3 and received by circuit clerks by November 10. That deadline does not mean every ballot sent will be eligible or that the race necessarily will be called on that date.

The state also permits affidavit ballots when a voter’s eligibility cannot immediately be confirmed. For example, a voter who cast one because they forgot an acceptable photo ID must present ID to their circuit clerk by November 10. Election officials must review applicable eligibility requirements before counting such ballots.

On November 4, the secretary of state estimated that approximately 3,600 outstanding mail-in absentee ballots could still arrive and said the number of affidavit ballots was unknown, according to ABC News’ reporting on the office’s update. Those figures were an earlier estimate, not a current count of votes remaining for either candidate. Not every outstanding ballot will necessarily be returned, accepted or cast in the Senate race.

Could Mississippi have a recount?

There is no automatic recount triggered by a narrow result. The secretary of state’s office told ABC News that Mississippi has no formal recount process, although a candidate can examine ballot materials after certification and pursue a legal challenge if issues are found. The AP reports that a challenger can seek a court order for a recount.

That makes a recount a possibility, not an established next step. The immediate question is how the remaining eligible ballots affect the margin. Any legal challenge would depend on what candidates do and how a court responds.

Why does Colom’s result matter?

Colom is a Mississippi district attorney and former federal judicial nominee. If he wins, he would become the state’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction; Mississippi last elected a Democrat to the Senate in 1982, according to ABC News. Those milestones remain conditional on the outcome.

Nationally, the AP reports that Democrats have already secured control of the Senate for the next Congress. Mississippi’s result will therefore affect the size of that majority, rather than determine which party controls the chamber. For Mississippi voters, it will decide whether Hyde-Smith returns to Washington or Colom takes the seat.

FAQ

How many votes was Scott Colom ahead?

He led by 1,833 votes in Decision Desk HQ’s tally updated at 2:30 p.m. CST on November 5. The margin can change.

When is the Mississippi absentee ballot deadline?

Mail-in absentee ballots had to be postmarked by November 3 and received by circuit clerks by November 10.

Will there automatically be a recount?

No. Mississippi has no automatic recount process, although a court could order a recount following a challenge.