NATCHEZ — Election officials say District 37 Senate unofficial results for Adams County, including its absentee votes, should be available Friday.

The absentee votes are a key factor in determining the statistically-tied race for Senate District 37 between incumbent Sen. Melanie Sojourner and former Sen. Bob Dearing.

As of Thursday, Dearing and Sojourner both said they believe they held a slim lead.

But more than 300 affidavit ballots have to be canvassed before they can be counted in Pike County, and Sojourner and Dearing said they have been told that process won’t likely be completed until the middle of next week.