Democrat Scott Colom projected to win Mississippi Senate race

Democrat Scott Colom is projected to win the U.S. Senate race* in Mississippi, riding a historic wave of turnout to overcome the state’s restrictive voting policies and become its first Black senator since Reconstruction.  

CNN, VoteHub, and the Associated Press called the race for Colom Wednesday afternoon after affidavit ballots from Hinds County were counted, solidifying his lead over incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R).

Colom led by just 4,585 votes when the race was first called, according to the Associated Press.

National — and international — attention has focused on Mississippi since Election Day, when it became clear Colom appeared poised to unseat Hyde-Smith. Since then, Colom’s lead has been measured in hundreds and thousands of ballots.

In the end, the race came down to affidavit, absentee and mail ballots, many of which are still being counted statewide.

Colom will also be the first Black senator ever to be elected directly by Mississippians — the state’s two previous Black senators were chosen by the legislature in 1870 and 1875.

Beyond its historical significance, Colom’s win represents a major victory over Mississippi’s voting policies, which are among the most restrictive in the nation.

Mississippi does not allow no-excuse mail voting, early voting and same-day and online registration — practices common in many other states with pro-voting policies.

This year, tens of thousands of Mississippians had to vote by affidavit — i.e., provisional — ballot after the state marked them as “inactive” voters following a change in its voter list maintenance procedures.

Even when they did that, there was no guarantee their votes would be counted. On Wednesday, Hinds County, the state’s second most populous county and a Democratic stronghold, rejected roughly two-thirds of its affidavit ballots — most likely for improper registration and votes being cast in the wrong precinct.

The state also makes it harder than most to register to vote: Mississippi requires voters to register through paper applications that they must mail or deliver to county clerks’ offices at least 30 days before an election.

In an interview with Democracy Docket last week, Colom called for sweeping reforms to expand voting access and curb partisan gerrymandering

This is a developing story. Check back for more information.

*The Elias Law Group (ELG) represents the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and is active in the legal effort on behalf of the Colom campaign. ELG Firm Chair Marc Elias is the founder of Democracy Docket.