A dozen-plus races remain too early to call one week after the election
Senate results still pending
Democrat Scott Colom held an advantage of about 2,600 votes over Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi on Tuesday afternoon. Counties must send certified results, including provisional ballot counts, to the state by Friday.
Mississippi’s ballot process includes no automatic recounts, and candidates cannot directly request one; a court order is required. Secretary of State Michael Watson said Monday that roughly 14,200 provisional ballots had been processed, with about 80% accepted, while around 2,700 mailed absentee ballots had yet to arrive.
Alaska count and next steps
In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola led Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan by roughly 2,500 votes, with about 76% of the vote estimated to be counted Tuesday afternoon. Some absentee ballot results were expected later that day, while ballots sent back from outside the United States can arrive through Nov. 18.
Peltola was slightly more than one percentage point below the majority needed to win outright. Without a majority winner, ranked-choice tabulation is scheduled for Nov. 18; the state’s target date to certify results is Nov. 25.
Close House contests
Most uncalled House races had margins below one percentage point among ballots counted by late Tuesday afternoon. North Carolina had four undecided contests, more than any other state, with Republican incumbents challenged in each.
California’s 23rd District was the only remaining House race there that could affect the chamber’s balance of power; another uncalled contest featured two Democrats. In South Carolina’s 2nd District, Republican incumbent Joe Wilson led Democrat Zyon Khalia by about 3,000 votes as a recount continued, with 99% counted.
Recounts and certification dates
Minnesota’s 1st District remained undecided, with roughly 300 votes separating the leading candidates and about 99% counted. A candidate may seek a publicly funded recount there if the margin is under 0.25% of the vote.
In Tennessee’s 4th District, Democrat Victoria Broderick and Republican incumbent Scott DesJarlais were separated by about 300 votes Tuesday afternoon; recounts there occur only through a court challenge. North Carolina permits a recount request when the margin is 1% or less, with a Nov. 17 deadline, and is scheduled to certify results Nov. 24.
Key points
- Democrats were projected to hold 54 Senate seats, with Mississippi and Alaska still unresolved.
- North Carolina had four undecided House races, the most of any state.
- Alaska may use ranked-choice tabulation on Nov. 18 if no candidate wins a majority.
- Close margins in several states leave recounts or legal challenges as possible next steps.