Lawyers flood Mississippi as 20,000 ballots decide tight Senate race
National legal teams and observers are monitoring the vetting of provisional ballots to determine whether Democrat Scott Colom maintains his narrow lead over incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith.
By Natalie Cooper ·
Scott Colom and Cindy Hyde-Smith are racing to secure legal and observational dominance over thousands of uncounted votes in Mississippi. The outcome will determine the size of the Democratic majority in the US Senate for the coming year. A margin of roughly 1,800 votes separated the two candidates late Thursday, according to Colom's campaign.
The state has not sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly four decades. It has not elected a Black senator since the Reconstruction era. Both campaigns have assembled extensive legal teams to observe the vetting process. They are preparing for potential challenges to the final count ahead of the December 3 certification deadline.
Colom told reporters on Wednesday that his team has been preparing for months. He said he has an army of lawyers, including local counsel, to ensure the process follows the law. The state Republican Party announced it has deployed more than 50 volunteer attorneys and observers across the state. Chair Michael Hurst said additional personnel are ready to assist as needed.
Hurst stated that his team is watching election commissioners review outstanding ballots. He emphasized that only legally cast ballots should be counted. The nonpartisan NAACP is also active in the state. Its volunteers are stationed in all 82 counties to monitor how officials handle affidavit ballots.
Affidavit ballots are cast by voters who lacked photo ID or could not be found in precinct poll books. The NAACP is contacting these voters to urge them to provide documentation to county courthouses. The deadline to resolve county-level issues is November 10. President Derrick Johnson said the group aims to prevent disenfranchisement, particularly among African American voters.
The exact number of outstanding ballots remains unclear. Colom's campaign estimated 15,000 provisional ballots earlier in the week. Republicans estimated up to 20,000 absentee and provisional ballots were outstanding as of Thursday afternoon. Secretary of State Michael Watson said the total number is unknown.
Legal tensions have escalated through formal correspondence. Lawyers for Hyde-Smith sent a letter on Thursday asking local officials to segregate affidavit ballots from the rest of the count. They also requested the preservation of election records. Colom's attorneys responded by calling the request unlawful. They warned against actions that might allow a ballot to be traced to a specific voter.
In Hinds County, election commissioners are sorting hundreds of affidavit ballots in public view. Commissioner Felicia McClinton reported rejecting ballots from Jackson State University students who were not registered in the correct precinct. She noted that some voters could not be located in the system despite providing names, birthdays, and Social Security numbers.
Lily Moens, policy and research director at Mississippi Votes, said many rejections stem from voters going to the wrong precinct. She described the situation as disheartening. National organizations like the Elias Law Group and Fair Fight PAC have arrived to support the effort. Colom said he is confident in his resources and fundraising momentum.
Colom expressed optimism that his lead would grow as more ballots are processed. He told CNN that the remaining ballots appear to favor his side. The state is currently under intense scrutiny from both parties and nonpartisan groups as they work to certify the results.
