The Mississippi Senate race between incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott Colom has yet to be called one week after the election.
But ballot deadlines may give voters a clue as to who will go to Washington to represent the Magnolia State.
The race remains too close to call. With 97% of the expected vote counted, Mr. Colom, a former prosecutor, led his Republican opponent by 2,536 votes as of Monday, according to unofficial results.
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Two deadlines fall on Tuesday. Absentee ballots must have been postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Tuesday.
Voters who cast provisional ballots, which Mississippi calls affidavit ballots, because they lacked acceptable photo identification, must present them to their county circuit clerk’s office by the close of business, which varies by county.
Thousands of other affidavit ballots were cast for different reasons, such as a voter’s name missing from the poll book. Counties have until Friday to review all affidavit ballots and certify results.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson said Monday that 15,547 affidavit ballots had been processed, with 76% of them accepted.
Just over 2,500 absentee mail-in ballots were still to be counted, Mr. Watson, a Republican, said. Those ballots can be accepted as long as they were postmarked by Election Day and received by Tuesday.
He added that 75 of the state’s 82 counties have uploaded partial unofficial results, and one has uploaded official results.
Mr. Watson also said the affidavit process is a “safety net” for errors that election commissioners make during voter roll maintenance.
Counties have until Friday to certify their results with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office. The state’s final certification deadline is Dec. 3.
Results from Hinds County, the state’s most populous and a Democratic stronghold, are expected as early as Wednesday and could help determine the winner.
Both campaigns have assembled legal teams in case the race ends up in court, and both candidates have said they expect to win.
Each campaign, including volunteers from outside organizations, has deployed people to monitor ballot reviews.
Lawyers for Mr. Colom and Ms. Hyde-Smith have sent letters to Mississippi election officials.
Ms. Hyde-Smith’s lawyers asked all counties to keep affidavit ballots separate from regular or absentee ballots. Mr. Colom’s lawyers responded that the request had “no legal authority whatsoever.”
Mississippi law has no automatic or candidate-requested recount. Recounts in the state are held only by court order.
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