Democrat Scott Colom is overperforming among affidavit votes in the race for U.S. Senate in several North Mississippi counties that have completed counting those ballots. Between Alcorn, Chickasaw and Itawamba counties, incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith netted just 71 votes with affidavit ballots, despite holding substantial overall leads in two of those counties.
Hyde-Smith needs significant gains to overcome Colom’s 2,010-vote lead statewide. Below is a breakdown of those three counties as well as information on how many affidavit ballots other North Mississippi counties received and expect to count.
Alcorn County
172 affidavit ballots cast, 126 accepted
Rejection rate: 26.7%
Cindy Hyde-Smith: 75 (60.5%)
Scott Colom: 44 (35.5%)
Ty Pinkins: 5 (4.0%)
Among all votes cast in Alcorn County, Hyde-Smith leads 75.5%-22.7%, or by 52.8 points. Her lead among affidavit ballots is only half of that, at 25 points, meaning Colom is overperforming in the county’s affidavit ballots. Hyde-Smith nets 31 votes from Alcorn County’s affidavit ballots.
Chickasaw County
204 votes cast, 105 accepted
Rejection rate: 48.5%
Scott Colom: 81 (77.1%)
Cindy Hyde-Smith: 23 (21.9%)
Ty Pinkins: 1 (1.0%)
Among all votes cast in Chickasaw County, Colom leads 53.3%-45.3%, or by 8 points. His lead among affidavit ballots is far higher, at 55.2 points, meaning Colom is significantly overperforming in the county’s affidavit ballots. Colom nets 58 votes from Chickasaw County’s affidavit ballots.
Itawamba County (213 votes)
324 affidavit ballots cast, 214 accepted
Rejection rate: 34%
Cindy Hyde-Smith: 151 (70.9%)
Scott Colom: 53 (24.9%)
Ty Pinkins: 9 (4.2%)
Among all votes cast in Itawamba County, Hyde-Smith leads 81.4%-15.6%, or by 65.8 points. Her lead among affidavit ballots is substantially lower, at 46 points, meaning Colom is significantly overperforming in the county’s affidavit ballots. Hyde-Smith nets 98 votes from Itawamba County’s affidavit ballots.
Other North Mississippi counties offered more limited information and did not have totals from the Senate race yet.
Benton County
51 affidavit ballots cast, 29 accepted
Rejection rate: 43.1%
Calhoun County
54 affidavit ballots cast
Clay County
Total number of affidavit ballots unknown. The Election Commission is out until Monday and will count affidavit ballots between Nov. 10-12.
Lee County
1,545 affidavit ballots cast
Lowndes County
Currently counting affidavit ballots; no figures
Marshall County
Currently counting affidavit ballots; no figures
Pontotoc County
319 affidavit ballots cast
Prentiss County
Still being processed; no figures
Tishomingo County
106 affidavit ballots cast, 87 accepted
Rejection rate: 17%
The Mississippi Free Press was not able to get in touch with election officials in Monroe, Union or Oktibbeha counties. The circuit clerk’s office in Tippah County did not immediately have the information available.
