AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Mississippi on Election Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mississippi Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is being challenged by Democrat Scott Colom as she seeks a second full term. Voters on Tuesday will also decide contests for U.S. House and two state House special elections.

Although no federal office has changed party hands in Mississippi since 2010, the Senate matchup been more competitive than expected, even drawing a campaign visit from President Donald Trump.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 7 p.m. local time, which is 8 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and two special elections for state House.

How many people voted in the last midterm election?

About 709,000 ballots were cast in the 2022 midterm elections in Mississippi.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 7% of the ballots cast in the 2022 midterm election were absentee ballots.

The latest advance vote totals for Mississippi can be found in the AP’s advance vote tracker.

When are early and absentee votes released?

Mississippi voters tend to vote in-person on Election Day. The state offers limited in-person absentee and mail absentee voting. All counties are expected to release at least some in-person Election Day results in the first vote update of the night. The limited amount of mail and in-person absentee results are expected to be released throughout the night.

How long does vote counting usually take?

In the 2024 general election, the AP first reported results at 8:19 p.m. ET, or 19 minutes after polls closed. The vote count reached the halfway mark at 10:06 p.m. ET and 90% of total votes were reported by 9:49 a.m. ET on Nov. 8, 2024.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

Mississippi does not have automatic recounts or permit candidates to request a recount. Recounts in the state are held only in the event of a court order. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.