Mississippi and Alaska Senate races still too close to call

Senate races in Mississippi and Alaska remained uncalled Saturday evening, with Democrats narrowly ahead in both states. Scott Colom was leading Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, while former Rep. Mary Peltola was ahead of Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska.

A narrow lead in an unfinished count is not a declaration of victory. Ballots were still being received, checked and counted, and legal disputes over the process could affect how quickly either state reaches a final result.

In Mississippi, officials were reviewing absentee ballots and affidavit ballots, the state's version of provisional ballots. Voters with identification problems have until Tuesday to resolve them. The decentralized count runs through county election offices, and campaigns have been preparing for potential legal challenges.

Colom's candidacy also carries historical significance. If he wins, he would become Mississippi's first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction. His supporters have expressed optimism, but the Associated Press has not called the contest.

Alaska has a longer ballot-arrival window and uses ranked-choice voting. The state expects its ranked-choice tabulation on November 18, when votes for trailing candidates can be redistributed if no candidate has reached a majority.

Neither outstanding race will determine which party controls the Senate: Democrats have already secured that. The results will instead decide the size of their majority. This remains a developing count, and the leads described here should not be treated as final certified results.