The counting of votes from the US midterm elections continued on November 7, with the closely contested Senate races in Mississippi and Alaska attracting the most attention. Although the Democratic Party has already secured majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the results in some electoral districts have yet to be officially determined, Reuters and the Associated Press report.
The situation remains particularly tense in Mississippi, where Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat Scott Colom are locked in an extremely close race. According to Reuters, the candidates are already disputing how provisional ballots cast by voters whose registration or eligibility to vote requires additional verification should be processed.
Hyde-Smith’s lawyers have asked election commissions in all 82 counties in the state to retain and set aside those ballots. Colom’s representatives describe the request as improper and insist that all votes be processed in accordance with established procedures.
According to authorities in Mississippi, thousands of ballots remain that could have a decisive impact on the final result. County election commissions must certify the results by November 13. State law does not provide for an automatic recount when the margin between candidates is small, but it does allow for a legal challenge.
The outcome of the Senate race in Alaska between Republican Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola also remains unclear. There, the count is complicated by the state’s specific electoral system, which allows voters to rank candidates by preference.
Meanwhile, the results are still being finalized in several House of Representatives districts. According to the latest data, the Democrats have won a convincing majority, with their success representing a serious political blow to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
The midterm elections were held on November 3, but the final certification of results in individual states may take several more days. The outcome of the remaining races will determine the exact composition of the new Congress, which will begin work in January 2027.