Several Key races remain unresolved after midterm elections

While Democrats secured 54 Senate seats for the incoming Congress in January, a final tally could increase that number with votes still being counted in Alaska and Mississippi. In the House of Representatives, Democrats currently hold 255 of the 435 seats, a significant gain since 2008, and could potentially add to this total.

In Mississippi’s Senate race, Democratic candidate Scott Colom held a narrow lead of approximately 2,600 votes over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith. Key deadlines this week include the receipt of mail-in absentee ballots by Tuesday and the submission of certified election results by counties by Friday. The state will officially certify results on December 3. Secretary of State Michael Watson reported that around 14,200 provisional ballots had been processed, with roughly 80 percent accepted, and approximately 2,700 mail-in absentee ballots remained unreturned. Mississippi does not allow for automatic recounts or candidate-requested recounts, with recounts only occurring through a court order.

The Alaska Senate race sees Democrat Mary Peltola leading Republican Senator Dan Sullivan by roughly 2,500 votes, with 76 percent of the vote counted. The acceptance of absentee ballots, some mailed from outside the US and accepted until November 18, continues the counting process. Ranked-choice voting will be implemented on November 18 if no candidate secures a majority. The state’s target date for certification is November 25. Automatic recounts are triggered only by a tie vote, and candidates can request recounts within five days of certification.

Twelve House races across the nation remain uncalled, with many decided by margins of less than one percentage point. North Carolina leads with four undecided races, all featuring Republican incumbents facing challenges. Candidates in North Carolina can request recounts if the margin is within one percent, with requests due by November 17. California’s remaining race in the 23rd District will influence the chamber’s balance of power, with results expected by December 11. A recount is underway in South Carolina’s 2nd District between Republican incumbent Joe Wilson and Democrat Zyon Khalifa, with Wilson leading by about 3,000 votes. Minnesota’s 1st District remains undecided by a margin of roughly 300 votes, potentially triggering a publicly funded recount if the difference remains below 0.25 percent. Tennessee’s 4th District separates Democrat Victoria Broderick and Republican incumbent Scott DesJarlais by approximately 300 votes, with recounts only possible through legal challenges.

In Kansas, Democratic state Senator Cindy Holscher leads Republican Senate President Ty Masterson by less than one percentage point, triggering a close-race audit involving a hand count of selected ballots, which must be completed by November 16. In Alaska’s gubernatorial race, approximately 76 percent of votes have been counted, with Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss‑Tomkins leading Bernadette Wilson, and a ranked-choice tabulation will occur if no candidate surpasses 50 percent.