Two United States Senate races, one in Mississippi and another in Alaska, remain undecided following the midterm elections, with the final outcomes hinging on the tabulation of remaining ballots and, in Alaska's case, a unique voting system. As of Wednesday night, Democrats had secured a majority in the Senate, but victories in these two states could further solidify their control.

The Mississippi race is a nail-biter between incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith and her Democratic challenger, Scott Colom. Historically a Republican stronghold, Mississippi has not voted for a Democratic president since 1976 and has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in over a decade. However, this contest has defied expectations, remaining too close to call with both candidates polling around 49 percent, according to The Associated Press. This tight margin means the final results depend on the remaining provisional and mail-in absentee ballots.

In Alaska, the Senate race is also undecided, but the delay is compounded by the state's implementation of ranked-choice voting. This system requires voters to rank candidates in order of preference, and if no candidate wins a majority outright, the votes are redistributed based on these rankings until a winner emerges. The Alaska race has also been marred by controversy, adding another layer of complexity to the vote counting process.

The implications of these delayed results extend to the balance of power in the incoming 120th Congress. While Democrats are projected to hold at least 54 seats, winning both Mississippi and Alaska could reduce their reliance on the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome filibusters. This would grant them greater legislative flexibility and potentially diminish the influence of Republican obstruction.

In Mississippi, with 96 percent of ballots counted, Colom held a slim lead of 1,138 votes over Hyde-Smith. State officials have indicated that provisional ballots, cast by voters whose eligibility is in question, have a 10-day processing window. Mail-in ballots have a five-day window for receipt after election day. The close nature of the race means these outstanding ballots could prove decisive.

Alaska's unique electoral system, ranked-choice voting, was also used in its House race, where Democrat Mary Peltola won. This system, intended to ensure a winner with broader support, can lead to delayed outcomes as multiple rounds of vote tabulation may be necessary. The details of the vote counting process in Alaska, particularly how preferences will be redistributed, will determine when a final Senate result can be declared.

Experts suggest that ranked-choice voting, while promoting broader consensus, can extend the election timeline. This contrasts with traditional plurality voting systems where the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority. The extended counting period in Alaska highlights the potential trade-offs between different electoral mechanisms and voter turnout.

As officials in both states work to finalize the counts, the nation awaits the definitive composition of the next Senate. The protracted nature of these two races underscores the diverse and sometimes complex electoral processes employed across the United States, and the critical role of every vote, especially in closely contested elections.