Ellington

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A committee recommends that Democrat Bob Dearing be confirmed as winner of a contested election for a Mississippi Senate seat.

Republican Melanie Sojourner petitioned the Senate to try to overturn her loss to Dearing. But a committee said Monday that Sojourner fell short of proving the November election was tainted.

The full Senate must vote on the committee's recommendation.

Dearing and Sojourner are from Natchez. They ran in District 37 in Adams, Amite, Franklin and Pike counties.

Dearing served 32 years in the Senate before Sojourner unseated him in 2011. He defeated her by 64 votes in 2015.

Sojourner argued that election materials were not kept secure in Adams County. She also said poll workers at Franklin County's Bude precinct improperly assisted voters.

Dearing said the election was conducted fairly.