# Mississippi Senate race remains undecided

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-midterm-election-voting-trends
> Updated: 2026-11-03T20:30:11.000Z. Sources: 17. Developments: 2.

The Mississippi Senate race between Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott Colom remains undecided as vote counting continues. While previous reports indicated Colom held a narrow lead of fewer than 50 votes with 97% of votes counted, new data shows approximately 96% of precincts have reported, leaving an estimated 43,000 to 44,000 mail-in, affidavit, and provisional ballots outstanding.

As of Wednesday, Colom maintains a razor-thin lead, with reported margins fluctuating between 28 and 65 votes. If Colom secures a victory, he would be the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi since 1982. Prediction markets have shifted significantly, with platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket pricing Colom’s victory probability as high as 74.4% to 94%, compared to 14% at the start of Election Day.

Because Mississippi law lacks provisions for automatic or candidate-requested recounts, any challenge to the results would likely require a court order. Attorney Marc Elias has stated his firm is leading efforts to ensure a Colom victory. Additionally, California Governor Gavin Newsom has solicited emergency donations to support the campaign through the ballot curing and potential legal phases.

## Claims

- The Mississippi Senate race between Cindy Hyde-Smith and Scott Colom is too close to call. (reported by 9 sources)
- Ty Pinkins received approximately 2.1% of the vote. (reported by 3 sources)
- Mississippi lacks legal provisions for automatic or candidate-requested recounts. (reported by 3 sources)
- Voting machine malfunctions were reported in Lamar, Lincoln, Hinds, and Jackson counties. (reported by 2 sources)
- An estimated 44,000 ballots remain to be counted in the Mississippi Senate race. (reported by 2 sources)
- Marc Elias is leading the legal effort to ensure Scott Colom wins. (reported by 2 sources)
- Scott Colom held a 28-vote lead over Cindy Hyde-Smith with 97% of votes counted. (reported by 1 source)
- The probability of a Democratic win in the Senate race surged from 14% to 74.4% on Kalshi. (reported by 1 source)

## Timeline

### 2026-11-03: Mississippi Senate race between Scott Colom and Cindy Hyde-Smith remains too close to call

Democratic challenger Scott Colom holds a microscopic lead over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in the Mississippi Senate race, with tens of thousands of ballots still being processed.

17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mississippi-absentee-voting-surges-ahead-of-midterm-elections

### 2026-10-23: Minnesota records high early voting turnout ahead of elections

Minnesota reports record early voting with nearly 420,000 ballots cast so far, outpacing 2022 midterm numbers.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/minnesota-records-high-early-voting-turnout-ahead-of-elections

---
Cite as: Mississippi Senate race remains undecided. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-midterm-election-voting-trends