Mississippi Secretary of State Says About 3,600 Absentee-by-Mail Ballots Remain Outstanding as Counties Have Until Nov. 13 to Certify

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson said Wednesday that approximately 3,600 absentee-by-mail ballots are still outstanding, and that they must be received within five business days of Election Day to be counted, WLBT and WAPT reported. An unknown number of affidavit ballots must also be processed during the 10-day certification period. As of Wednesday, 70 of Mississippi’s 82 counties had uploaded unofficial results to the Statewide Election Management System, and counties must submit certified results to the Secretary of State by Nov. 13.

The update came as fewer than 100 votes at one point separated Democrat Scott Colom and Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in the U.S. Senate race. Unofficial results could change as outstanding absentee and affidavit ballots are processed and counties complete canvassing and certification. The mail-ballot receipt window is the one at issue in 2026-06-29–scotus-watson-v-rnc-upholds-mississippi-mail-ballot-window; for pre-election polling-place problems in the state, see 2026-10-31–mississippi-free-press-polling-locator-errors-remain-neshoba-clerk-says-address-cannot-change-before-election.