# USA Election Watch 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 3, 2026, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377 "2026-11-03T18:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 52
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1024 "2026-11-06T18:27:03Z")
Does Mississippi contact mail-in voters whose ballots have defects? I know if you have to vote provisionally here in Maryland, the election judges will advise you what you need to do to fix the problem but I have no idea what we do if we get a flawed mail-in ballot. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1025 "2026-11-06T18:29:33Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Much credit for finding Colom, but the other three were all well-known popular politicians who had already won Statewide office. Yeah–I think the only thing Cooper might have been talked into was running for Senate instead of President, and even there I’d need evidence. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1026 "2026-11-06T18:50:04Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Schumer will probably lose his leadership position because the party senses it’s the right moment, I’d stake good money that Schumer (and Jeffries) will be elected to their respective leadership positions without breaking a sweat. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1027 "2026-11-06T18:58:03Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Much credit for finding Colom, but the other three were all well-known popular politicians who had already won Statewide office. And none of them were initially willing to run; it took him a month to convince Peltola. It’s not just finding them, it’s giving them the guilt/rah-rah speech and getting them to commit. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1028 "2026-11-06T19:23:18Z")
Well, you have obviously looked into this matter more deeply than I have. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1029 "2026-11-06T19:40:20Z")
Meanwhile, Wiles out, Goering II in as Chief of Staff. [Susie Wiles out, Stephen Miller in, as Trump’s chief of staff](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6204745-susie-wiles-out-stephen-miller-in-as-trumps-chief-of-staff/) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1030 "2026-11-06T19:42:54Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Wiles out I’m sure it’ll turn out well when the last grownup in the administration unasses the place. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1031 "2026-11-06T19:48:47Z")
Moderating: > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Meanwhile, Wiles out, Goering II in as Chief of Staff. > > [Susie Wiles out, Stephen Miller in, as Trump’s chief of staff](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6204745-susie-wiles-out-stephen-miller-in-as-trumps-chief-of-staff/) > [@gnoitall](#): > > I’m sure it’ll turn out well when the last grownup in the administration unasses the place. This is not the thread for this discussion. Please take it to another thread, or start a new one. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1032 "2026-11-06T19:57:43Z")
A good quote yesterday from Alaska Democratic Party chair Eric Croft, when a CNN reporter asked about counting the ballots and Trump’s demand that all votes for the bad Dan Sullivan be awarded to the good one: > I think grandpa’s confused again. > > We already have a process to do this here and we know something about it. The Division of Elections released not just the ballots they had so far and we’re still counting up here. We take a kind of different approach. > > We treat this process more like sex. Finishing first and early is not the main goal. We prefer to take it slow, kind of do it right. And hopefully at the end everybody involved is satisfied. The reporter made an attempt at staying professional and was partially successful. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Sf47kwlysEU/hq2.jpg "Alaska Democratic chair likens ballot counting to sex") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf47kwlysEU) ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1033 "2026-11-06T20:06:24Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > The votes keep trickling in. Colom now up by 1936. 2009 votes currently. 35,000 expected votes remaining. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1034 "2026-11-06T20:51:19Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Schumer will probably lose his leadership position because the party senses it’s the right moment, I doubt this, not gonna happen- nor Jeffries. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1035 "2026-11-06T20:56:15Z")
**Moderating:** I think we’ve had enough speculation on the leadership of the 2027 Congress for the _election_ thread. Speculation should probably be here: > [@The New 2027 Congress](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-2027-congress/1034394/66): > > And Marcia Blackburn has confirmed that Pete Hegseth will NOT be going to the Senate, as all of her former Senate colleagues have desperately pleaded with her to do for the last week. tada (OK, that second bit has not been publicly confirmed, but you know it’s true) Or feel free to spin off your own thread if you want to be more specific. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1036 "2026-11-06T21:19:53Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > > [@hajario](#): > > > > The votes keep trickling in. Colom now up by 1936. > > 2009 votes currently. > 35,000 expected votes remaining. 2493 as of now and growing. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1037 "2026-11-06T21:25:02Z")
Boebert’s path is looking tough. She is down by 0.9% with 95.8% counted. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1038 "2026-11-06T21:28:35Z")
this is good news. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1039 "2026-11-06T22:10:18Z")
In Mississippi the count will continue until Monday. Mail in ballots are counted if they arrive by then. In addition, people who cast provisional ballots because they didn’t have ID have until Monday to show up at the office to provide ID to get their ballot tallied. MS does not have recounts unless there is a court order. Whomever would need to get a seperate court order for each individual county for that county to have a recount and they would have to show cause like some sort of irregularity, not just it was a close election. > **[Lawyers descend on Mississippi as vote counting continues in razor-thin...](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/06/mississippi-senate-race-vote-counting-lawyers)** > > Democratic and Republican lawyers and groups trade sharp legal letters about procedures for counting ballots in tight race ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1040 "2026-11-06T22:43:58Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > n TN-4, Victoria Broderick (D) is leading incumbent Scott DesJarlais (R) by 280 votes. 99% reporting; 2000 expected votes outstanding. I haven’t been following things. This is the first time since a move a few years ago that I haven’t been able to vote against Scott DesJarlais. I checked and it looks like there was some redistricting to give the Republicans an advantage. Is there someone that knows if that was part of the reason for the possible loss? I will look it up, unless someone knows. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1041 "2026-11-06T22:46:26Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > MS does not have recounts unless there is a court order. Whomever would need to get a seperate court order for each individual county for that county to have a recount and they would have to show cause like some sort of irregularity, not just it was a close election. They even have a provision if it’s a tie. They draw straws. I am not kidding. It has happened before. > **[An election in Mississippi ended in a tie, so it will be decided by drawing...](https://qz.com/555722/an-election-in-mississippi-ended-in-a-tie-so-it-will-be-decided-by-drawing-straws)** > > This is something to bear in mind the next time Americans criticize the democratic credentials of other nations. And other states do it too. > **[Mississippi state election settled by 'drawing straws'](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34883294)** > > A Democrat has won a Mississippi House race by drawing a longer straw, an official way to break a tie in a legislative election for the state. > According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 24 states legally decide the outcome of tied legislative elections by drawing straws or flipping coins. > > Similar cases have happened in New Mexico and Alaska, using a coin toss. > > Connecticut decided in 2007 to eliminate chance games for breaking ties, a year after a coin toss determined a state house election. It doesn’t look like it’s headed that way though, fortunately. Imagine if Democrats lost a seat because they **literally** drew the short straw. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1042 "2026-11-06T22:49:28Z")
AP has called enough state legislative and senate seats to declare that Arizona has a trifecta (control of both houses and the governorship) for the first time since 1966. New legislature: 31D, 16R, 13 uncalled (previously 33R, 27D) New senate: 17D, 10R, 3 uncalled (previously 17R, 13D) Arizona also elected the first Democratic mine inspector since 1976. He still looks the part: > **[2026 Election: Democrat Brian Matlock projected to win Mine Inspector race](https://www.fox10phoenix.com/election/2026-election-democrat-brian-matlock-projected-win-mine-inspector-race)** > > Brian Matlock's projected victory over appointed incumbent Les Presmyk marks the first Democratic win for Arizona state mine inspector since the 1976 election. As close to a complete wipeout as you can get, unfortunately still have Paul Gosar… ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377/1043 "2026-11-06T22:49:45Z")
Hijack: A guy I knew ran for mayor of a medium sized town and the vote was a tie. They drew cards to determine the winner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377.md?page=51) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-election-watch-2026/1034377.md?page=53)