Hinds County officials began processing long-awaited affidavit ballots Wednesday in Mississippi’s historic U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott Colom.
LIVE: 2026 Mississippi Election Results
Election workers in Hinds County, a traditional Democratic stronghold and one of Mississippi’s largest counties, counted 67 pending absentee ballots and were on track to process 817 accepted affidavits. Once officials compile those affidavits, it could decide the outcome of the race.
Voters filed 2,426 affidavits in Hinds County. Of these, the electoral commission rejected 1,609 and accepted 817. Colom’s lead grew to 3,176 votes over Hyde-Smith with 98% of the votes counted.
The nation is watching Mississippi, and Hinds County in particular, because the Magnolia State is one of two states whose Senate race has not been called more than a week after Election Day. Poll observers, lawyers and media were on hand again Wednesday as the Hinds Election Commission finalized the vote count.
As Hinds County Election Commissioner Yvonne Horton and her colleagues counted the last remaining ballots Wednesday, Horton said the process went as planned, despite the extended period for final results to be uploaded. Some observers have long criticized Hinds County for delays in reporting results, and videos of workers counting ballots by hand have swirled on social media all week, sparking frustration.
“They’re ignoring our process. They just don’t know it,” Horton said. “And I don’t have time to tell them.”
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