Two Senate Races Remain Close

Democrats hold narrow leads in the final two contested United States Senate races as of Wednesday night. The outcomes in Mississippi and Alaska remain unsettled due to outstanding ballots.

In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom held an advantage of 1,138 votes over Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. The Associated Press reported that both candidates sat at approximately 49 percent of the vote with 96 percent of ballots counted. Secretary of State Michael Watson stated that about 3,600 mail-in ballots remained uncounted. The state allows ten days to process affidavit ballots and five business days for mailed votes. Counties must submit certified results by November 13.

Mississippi lacks a formal provision for an automatic recount in a deadlock. Candidates must obtain a court order to initiate the process. This state last elected a Democrat to statewide office in 2015. It last supported a Democratic presidential candidate in 1976.

In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola led Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan by 637 votes. Nearly one-quarter of the total vote remained uncounted at the close of Wednesday night reporting. The state’s ranked-choice voting system complicates the tally. Voters rank candidates by preference, and the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated if no one receives a majority of first-choice votes. Those ballots then transfer to the next choice on the ballot.

Alaska’s Division of Elections scheduled the release of ranked-choice results for November 18. This date falls fifteen days after the election. The state is one of two jurisdictions using ranked-choice voting for statewide contests. Rural distances in the state also contribute to slower counting times.

The Alaska race drew attention because two candidates named Dan Sullivan competed. Senator Dan S Sullivan ran against Dan J Sullivan Jr, a retired schoolteacher. Rumors suggested Democrats planted the second candidate to split votes. The Justice Department sued to block certification of the results, citing the dual candidacy. A federal judge dismissed the case on Sunday, and the department pledged to appeal.

Democrats secured at least 54 seats in the 100-member Senate when the 120th Congress convenes on January 3. Winning both remaining contests would reduce the number of Republican votes needed to reach the 60-vote threshold required to overcome a filibuster.