Mississippi Free Press - Solutions Journalism

2026 Elections

Liveblog: Mississippi’s 2026 U.S. Senate Election Results

Mississippi election workers are counting ballots amid a tight race between Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott…

by MFP Staff

Featured

Scott Colom Flips Forrest County, Named for Ku Klux Klan Founder Nathan Bedford Forrest

Mississippi Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom has flipped Forrest County, a once reliably Republican County named for Ku Klux Klan founder Nathan Bedford Forrest.

by Ashton Pittman November 5, 2026November 5, 2026

Lumberton Senior Center Honors Mississippi Veterans Through Handmade ‘Quilts of Valor’

by JC Roberts and RHCJC News

Democrats Usher in a New Era With Their Resounding Sweep of the House and Senate

November 4, 2026November 4, 2026

Democrat Scott Colom Leads Mississippi US Senate Race by 43 Votes Against Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith

November 4, 2026November 4, 2026

2026 Elections

Mississippi Voters Report Delays, Faulty Machines and Closed Precincts

by Ahmer A. Khan

Mississippi Voters More Than Double Absentee Ballot Totals From 2022 Midterms

by Ashton Pittman

Live 2026 Election Results: Hyde-Smith v. Colom for US Senate, Other Mississippi and National Races

by Ashton Pittman

> More Elections

Photos | Bill Clinton Garners Support for Scott Colom at Tupelo Rally

Former President Bill Clinton visited Tupelo, Mississippi, on Oct. 30 to speak at a campaign rally for U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Scott Colom. Here are some photos from the rally.

by Heather Harrison November 3, 2026November 3, 2026

‘It’s Winning Time’: Bill Clinton Rallies for Bipartisan Support of Scott Colom Days Before Nov. 3 Election

by Heather Harrison and Amy Schafer November 3, 2026November 3, 2026

Hinds County Website, Voter Info Page Down, Election Commission Phone Still Disconnected on Election Eve

by Grace Marion November 2, 2026November 2, 2026

Two Dead and Six Others Injured in Jackson Nightclub Shooting

Jackson Voters to Consider Tourism Tax Increase on Nov. 3 Ballot

For Disabled Mississippians, Many Polling Places Remain Inaccessible Despite ADA Requirements

Mississippi Election Officials Haven’t Corrected Some Polling Place Errors After We Alerted Them, Endangering Voter Access

All Mississippi Polling Places for the 2026 Midterm Elections

Ty Pinkins ‘Will Not Withdraw’ From Senate Race as Local Candidates Meet at Vicksburg Forum

‘Get Out and Vote’: Donald Trump Appears With Cindy Hyde-Smith as Campaign Nears Final Stretch

> More News

Photos | Election Day 2026 Around Mississippi

Photos | Bill Clinton Garners Support for Scott Colom at Tupelo Rally

Photos | President Donald Trump Rallies in Mississippi to Encourage Republican Voter Turnout

> More Photos

Photos | ‘The Drag Spectacular’: Coastal Mississippians Celebrate LGBTQ+ Community at Equality Fest

Pride flags waved strongly in the wind as a crowd of people made their way to find seats near the stage ahead of “The Drag Spectacular: A Decade of Diversity” performance at the the 10th-annual Gulf Coast Equality Fest held on Saturday, Oct. 17.

by Amy Schafer October 20, 2026

Petal Children’s Task Force Prepares Holiday Food Boxes, Seeks Community Support

by Sami Jordan and RHCJC News October 27, 2026October 27, 2026

Mississippi LGBTQ+ Community to Celebrate ‘A Decade of Diversity’ at 10th-Annual Gulf Coast Equality Festival

by Amy Schafer October 15, 2026October 16, 2026

Hispanic Heritage Month Festivals Celebrate Latino Cultures, Traditions in Jackson and Scott Counties

Fuel to Fight Cancer Returns to Hattiesburg on Oct. 17 to Support Access to Treatment

Gulfport Group Helps Women Build New Connections

Purvis Breast Cancer Event Focuses on Awareness, Community Education

Zona Libre Shares Puerto Rican Music With Mississippi Gulf Coast, Connecting Latin Communities

City of Diamondhead Continues a Hancock County Tradition, Organizes Fall Fest

‘One Big Country Ball of Excellence’: Jackson Musician Dear Silas’ New Double Album Combines His Rap and Trumpet Skills

Burnsville Waterway Festival Highlights Mississippi Town’s ‘Biggest Weekend Around’

The Story of Biloxi’s 131-Year-Old White House Hotel ‘Continues to Grow’

Photos | 45th Annual Biloxi Seafood Festival at The Lawn

> More Culture

Voices

Editor’s Note | AI Is No Savior

Assistant Editor Kevin Edwards writes about his concerns with AI and why it may not be the answer to all of our problems.

by Kevin Edwards October 30, 2026October 30, 2026

Opinion | Dog Parks Are an Antidote to the Isolation and Division That Social Media Can Fuel

by Kevin B. Johnson November 3, 2026

Opinion | You Can’t Shield Kids From Scary News

by Julie Dobrow November 2, 2026

Opinion | Silencing Artists Often Backfires

Opinion | Mississippians Deserve Transparency on Candidates’ Stances on Scientific Issues

Opinion | Gen Z Is Falling in Love With Film Photography

Opinion | Treating Depression During Pregnancy May Benefit Babies’ Brain Development

Editor’s Note | Homecoming Ain’t for the Weak, But It Is the Reunion We Need

Opinion | A ‘No True Bill’ Still Does Not Answer How Nolan Wells Died

Opinion | Sexual Assault Survivors’ Stories May Change Over Time. It Doesn’t Mean They’re Lying.

Opinion | The Paramount-Warner Merger May Be a Problem for Democracy

Opinion | Cornell 7 Case Puts a Spotlight on Fraternity Misconduct

Editor’s Note | When Life Gives You a Microphone, Say Something That Matters

> More Voices

Award-Winning MFP JournaLism

Mississippi Free Press Awards Roll: 120 Honors for MFP Team, 21 for YMP, Since 2020

As of August 15, 2026, our team is up to 120 national and U.S. regional awards and finalist nods since we launched in late March 2020.

by MFP Staff July 25, 2024August 26, 2026

Mississippi Democrats Break Republican Senate Supermajority: ‘We Are a Battleground State’

by Ashton Pittman November 5, 2025August 21, 2026

Election Officials Move 12 Polling Places Before Mississippi’s Nov. 4 Legislative Special Elections; Errors Remain in System

By Ashton Pittman, data and infographics by Liam Pittman November 2, 2025August 21, 2026

Mississippi Limits Polling Place Changes With New Law After MFP Reporting

After Gloster Biomass Plant Gets OK to Increase Emissions, Residents Take Issue to Court

University of Mississippi Employee Who Lost Her Job for Criticizing Charlie Kirk Sues Chancellor

Fired Millsaps Professor Sues After College Punished Him for Email About ‘This Racist Fascist Country’

Timeline: Trey Reed’s Hanging Death at Delta State University

Person of the Day | Bird Martin: Longtime Softball Coach Supports Disaster Recovery in Walthall County

Battle of Nations Brings Mississippi Choctaw, Eastern Cherokee Together for Football Match

Autopsy Finds Trey Reed’s Hanging Death at Delta State Was a Suicide; Kaepernick to Fund Private Autopsy

Trey Reed’s Family Calls for Independent Autopsy After He Was Found Hanging in Tree; Police Say Video Exists

Delta State University Student’s Body Found Hanging in Tree, No Foul Play Suspected

> More Honored Work

Trent Kelly Seeks Another Term Built on Military Support, Farm Policy and a Conservative Agenda

Rep. Trent Kelly, representing Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District, has been reelected five times and wants another term in office.

October 29, 2026October 29, 2026

‘South Mississippi Comes First’: Jeffrey Hulum III Targeting Costs and Food Insecurity

Mississippi House Rep. Jeffrey Hulum III, D-Gulfport, wants to improve affordability and address food insecurity if elected to Congress to represent Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District.…

October 29, 2026October 29, 2026

Person of the Day | Lee Washington: Army Veteran, Teacher Transforms Cotton-Picker Spindles Into Art at Rolling Fork Studio

Lee Washington of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, is an Army veteran and teacher who began crafting sculptures out of cotton-picker spindles 25 years ago.

October 29, 2026October 29, 2026