The National Republican Senatorial Committee is demanding that all county election commissioners and circuit clerks across Mississippi’s 82 counties separate and preserve all affidavit balltos cast in the Nov. 3, 2026, election. The move comes as incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith trails Democratic challenger Scott Colom in the race for her U.S. Senate seat.
“These measures are necessary to ensure that each affidavit ballot’s eligibility for counting and ultimate disposition can be verified,” the letter says. “As you know, under Mississippi law, each affidavit ballot must be sealed in an envelope bearing the voter’s written and signed affidavit and name, and affidavit voters must be recorded in a separate receipt book. … The County Election Commission is responsible for verifying the affidavit ballot envelopes and counting legally cast ballots,” the letter says.
Counties across the state are still counting thousands of affidavit ballots and the count could go into next week. Both Republicans and Democrats have sent in lawyers as Colom continues to lead by razor-thin margins.
