Gov. Matt Bevin (R-Ky.) speaks at the National Rifle Association’s NRA-ILA Leadership Forum during the NRA Convention at the Kentucky Exposition Center on May 20, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Scott Olson | Getty Images
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin submitted a request for a recanvass Wednesday after narrowly losing to Democrat Andy Beshear in a tight gubernatorial race.
The request comes after Bevin refused to concede Tuesday night, following his apparent loss by less than 6,000 votes, according to NBC. Bevin alluded to “a few irregularities” in a speech to supporters, but did not provide any further specifics.
Bevin’s request was submitted to Kentucky Secretary of State Alison L. Grimes, who is in charge of running the election.
President Trump headed to Kentucky on Monday night to rally with Bevin, who was one of the least popular governors in the country, according to polls. Trump begged the crowd to vote for the Republican warning them that a loss would send “a really bad message.”
Bevin’s loss was one component of a banner night for Democrats, who in addition to apparently winning the Kentucky Governor’s seat, flipped both chambers of the Virginia state Legislature, giving complete control of the state government to the party for the first time in decades. Republicans were able to hold onto the governorship in Mississippi, where Tate Reeves edged out Democrat Jim Hood.
Bevin’s request for a recanvass is not the same as a recount, which is a more elaborate process. A recanvass is only overseen by the state’s Board of Elections while a recount would also be conducted in conjunction with the Circuit Court.
Under Kentucky Law, candidates can request recounts but only if they pay for it themselves.
“Last night the election ended. It ended and it’s time to move forward with a smooth transition,” Beshear, who currently serves as Kentucky’s attorney general, said at a news conference Wednesday.
The recanvass will be conducted on Thursday, November 14th at 9:00 am, according Kentucky’s secretary of state.
