The balance of power in the U.S. Senate hangs in the balance as two crucial races in Mississippi and Alaska remain too close to call, with thousands of votes still being counted and legal challenges looming.
Mississippi’s Nail-Biter
In Mississippi, Democrat challenger Scott Colom leads incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by just 1,833 votes as of Thursday. But with an estimated 3,600 absentee-by-mail ballots still outstanding, the race remains highly competitive. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day can still be counted if received by November 10, thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision.
The state also faces uncertainty over affidavit ballots—provisional votes cast when a voter’s registration is in question. While 70-75% of these ballots were accepted in recent elections, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has taken steps to monitor their handling, sending letters to county officials demanding they secure all such ballots.
Alaska’s Lengthy Count
Alaska’s Senate race could take even longer to resolve due to its ranked-choice voting system and extended deadlines for absentee ballots. Democrat Mary Peltola currently leads Republican Dan Sullivan by 637 votes, but with tens of thousands of ballots still being processed, the final outcome remains unclear.
Absentee ballots will continue to be counted until November 18, and if neither candidate surpasses 50% support, Alaska’s ranked-choice system will kick in, redistributing votes from eliminated candidates until one breaks the majority threshold.
Sullivan’s campaign remains optimistic, arguing that late-breaking absentee voters will favor him. Meanwhile, potential legal challenges loom after reports surfaced that Democrats allegedly recruited a similarly named candidate to appear on the ballot, possibly confusing voters.
With control of the Senate on the line, both parties are bracing for a protracted fight as counting—and potentially litigation—continues in the weeks ahead.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-votes-will-be-counted-as-two-senate-seats-hang-in-the-balance