Hyde-Smith Lawyers Demand Preservation of Affidavit Ballots as Colom Leads by 1,724 Votes
Updated
Updated · WLOX · Nov 5
Hyde-Smith Lawyers Demand Preservation of Affidavit Ballots as Colom Leads by 1,724 Votes
3 articles · Updated · WLOX · Nov 5
Summary
Lawyers for Cindy Hyde-Smith told all Mississippi counties to separate, secure and preserve affidavit ballots from the Nov. 3 Senate election, and asked officials to confirm safeguards by 5 p.m. Thursday.
The letter says counties must keep those ballots distinct from regular and absentee ballots, document each ballot’s disposition, and retain custody records through canvassing, certification, any runoff, contest or ballot-box examination.
Mississippi law and a 22-month federal record-retention rule were cited as the basis, with the campaign saying the request is standard in a race this close and should not delay lawful tabulation or compromise ballot secrecy.
Scott Colom still led the uncalled race with 466,226 votes, or 49%, to Hyde-Smith’s 464,502, or 48.9%, while Colom’s campaign dismissed the move as a desperate Republican tactic.