Colom's lead in Mississippi grows past 1,700 votes as both campaigns prepare for a ballot fight, and Peltola holds a narrow edge in Alaska

Democrat Scott Colom's lead over Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi kept growing on Thursday, Nov. 5. By Thursday afternoon he was ahead by 1,724 votes, about 0.19% of ballots cast, with 96% of the vote counted, according to Associated Press figures reported by Yahoo News. The AP had not called the race.

The gap has moved fast. It was 43 votes at midday on Wednesday, Nov. 4, and 65 votes that afternoon, the Mississippi Free Press reported. On Thursday morning the Free Press cited an AP lead of 1,138 votes, while Decision Desk HQ showed 1,818.

What is left to count

• Affidavit ballots. The Colom campaign estimates 10,000 to 15,000 were cast, Yahoo News reported. Voters who cast one without a photo ID have until Tuesday, Nov. 10, to show an ID at their circuit clerk's office, according to the Free Press.
• Mail ballots. Secretary of State Michael Watson said about 3,600 absentee ballots had not come back as of Wednesday evening. They count if they were postmarked by Election Day and arrive within five business days, the Free Press reported.
• County pace. Hinds County was still counting affidavit ballots on Thursday morning, and Harrison County will not start its affidavit count until Nov. 10, according to the Free Press.
• Estimates differ. Mississippi Republican Party chair Mike Hurst put the uncounted total at about 20,000 and said many are in Republican-leaning areas, Yahoo News reported. Fox News cited an NBC News Decision Desk estimate of about 45,000.

Lawyers on both sides

Hyde-Smith's lawyers have demanded that affidavit ballots be separated, secured and preserved, a step Yahoo News described as a sign of possible litigation. Colom's team is working with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Elias Law Group. Mississippi has no recount law, so any challenge to individual ballots would go to court, likely after counties certify by Friday, Nov. 13.

Colom said on Thursday that he was confident "we're going to win" once the remaining ballots are counted. Hyde-Smith's campaign said she remains confident that voters will have reelected her once every legally cast vote is counted, the Free Press reported.

Alaska

In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola led Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan by fewer than 700 votes on Thursday morning, according to AP figures cited by Fox News. About a quarter of the vote was still uncounted. A retired teacher who is also named Daniel J. Sullivan had about 3,600 votes, several times the gap between the two leading candidates, Fox News reported.

Alaska News reported that early votes and questioned ballots will be counted starting Tuesday, Nov. 10. If no candidate passes 50%, the ranked-choice tally runs on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and the state aims to certify on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

The two races decide whether Democrats expand their new Senate majority beyond 54 seats, Yahoo News noted.