Democrat Scott Colom has won Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, and Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith conceded Wednesday evening, even as the review of DeSoto County affidavit ballots was still under way in Hernando. The Associated Press called the race for Colom at 4:59 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, eight days after Election Day.
This is an update to our earlier coverage of the uncalled race and the county’s public ballot review. As of about 9 p.m. Wednesday, no final DeSoto County totals had been posted on the county’s website.
Race called, Hyde-Smith concedes
The AP’s call came after election officials around the state spent several days processing absentee and affidavit ballots. Earlier in the afternoon, national projections showed Colom ahead by roughly 4,400 to 4,600 votes with about 99% of the vote counted.
Hyde-Smith conceded in a video statement posted to social media. “While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters,” she said, congratulating Colom and wishing him well.
Gov. Tate Reeves also congratulated the senator-elect, saying he hopes to work with him on jobs, wages and education. Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Mike Hurst said Colom “ran a good campaign” and that Republicans respect the voters’ decision.
Colom, a district attorney from Columbus, will be Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction. He is also the first Democrat to win a U.S. Senate race in the state since 1982.
DeSoto County affidavit ballots still being reviewed
In Hernando, the DeSoto County Election Commission began its public review of affidavit and provisional ballots Wednesday afternoon at the Election Commission building on Highway 51 South. Memphis television stations reported that the county had more than 2,000 affidavit ballots to review.
According to Action News 5, about two dozen people watched as commissioners worked through the county precinct by precinct, announcing the unofficial vote, the number of affidavit ballots and any rejections. WREG reported that voters and attorneys were inside monitoring how many ballots were accepted and rejected in each precinct.
Estimates of how long the work would take varied:
State Sen. Michael McLendon told the station earlier in the afternoon that it would not take long.
Kelly Jacobs of Indivisible DeSoto estimated that about 1,200 ballots would be counted, that roughly 40% of affidavit ballots could be rejected, and that the work could run until about 9 p.m.
The election commission’s own answer, the station reported, was that it would take as long as it takes.
Jacobs’ numbers are an observer’s estimate, not an official count. She also told the station that some ballots were being rejected because of Election Day problems at the polls, such as affidavit envelopes that were not signed by a poll manager. The commission has not released its own breakdown of the reasons for rejections.
Many of the people watching left the building after the race was called, the station reported.
What is still unknown
How many DeSoto County affidavit ballots were accepted and how many were rejected.
The updated county totals in the Senate race and in local contests.
The final statewide margin. State election officials said Wednesday that 19,218 affidavit ballots had been processed statewide, with about 74% accepted.
On election night, the county’s unofficial count showed Colom carrying DeSoto County with about 51.8% of the vote. The affidavit ballots added Wednesday will change those totals, but the size of the change was not yet known.
What happens next
Mississippi counties must certify their results to the Secretary of State by Friday, Nov. 13. All results remain unofficial until then. We will update our coverage when DeSoto County releases its final numbers.
