Why Mississippi and Alaska Senate races remain undecided

Democrats have won control of both chambers of Congress, but two Senate races, in Mississippi, where Scott Colom leads Cindy Hyde-Smith by 1,138 votes, and in Alaska, where Mary Peltola leads Dan Sullivan by 637 votes, remain undecided.

Democrats have regained control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections, with party leader Hakeem Jeffries likening the wave of victories to an “American tsunami,” Al Jazeera reports. Two Senate races remained undecided Wednesday night.

Democrats will start the 120th Congress on January 3 with at least 54 of the Senate’s 100 seats.

In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by 1,138 votes with 96 percent counted, according to The Associated Press. Roughly 3,600 mail-in ballots and an unknown number of provisional ballots remain. Counties must submit certified results by November 13. Mississippi has no automatic recount provision.

In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola led Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan by 637 votes, with nearly a quarter of votes uncounted. Ranked-choice results will not be published until November 18. A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department suit over a second candidate named Dan Sullivan; the department has pledged to appeal.