Colom leads Hyde-Smith by 65 votes in undecided race

Mississippi’s U.S. Senate contest remained undecided Wednesday, with Democrat Scott Colom leading Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by 65 votes as absentee and affidavit ballots remained to be counted. Unofficial totals reported at 11:45 a.m. showed Colom with 462,857 votes, or 48.95%, and Hyde-Smith with 462,792, or 48.94%, out of more than 945,000 votes cast. The figures reflected returns reported as of 10:45 a.m.; no winner or final margin had been established. The narrow lead followed an earlier count. At 10:30 a.m., Colom was ahead by 43 votes, with 462,821 to Hyde-Smith’s 462,778. Independent candidate Ty Pinkins had 19,935 votes, or 2.1%, in that tally. The totals were unofficial and changed as returns were updated. The remaining ballots include mail absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day and affidavit ballots. Under Mississippi law, mailed absentee ballots must arrive within five business days of the election to be counted. Voters who cast an affidavit ballot because they did not present an acceptable photo ID may provide one at a circuit or municipal clerk’s office within that same period. The deadline is November 10. Brandon Presley, the 2023 Democratic...