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The Hardin County Board of Elections conducted a recanvass of the Eighth Magisterial District Republican primary Thursday at the Hardin County Clerk’s Office’s Radcliff location.

The recanvass was requested by candidate Jonathan Breeding, who “filed a timely written request for the recanvass” after the initial tally from the primary showed him trailing incumbent Kenny Muse by two votes. Kentucky state law allows for a recanvass when the threshold of victory in a race is less than one percent.

Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith opened the meeting by explaining the work the clerk’s office does to prepare the county voting machines for an election, and then walked through the recanvass process, which reviews all of the results that came in on election night.

“On each machine, there is a verification sheet,” Smith said. “We will be double checking the serial numbers and then the tape, and that report that is presented, that is driven to our office on Election Day, Ashley (Deputy Clerk and Hardin County election Supervisor Ashley McMurtry) is going to come behind me and collect those after we’re finished.”

Muse appeared in person, while Breeding had a representative in his place due to a death in the family. 

The results of the recanvass showed the results were as reported on election night: 583 votes for Muse and 581 votes for Breeding.

Smith thanked Muse and Breeding for their positive conduct throughout the process.

“I’ve been a candidate, and I’ve also supported candidates, and I know what it’s like to love the results coming in and know what it’s like to not like them, but I want to thank both of them for the way they’ve treated me and my staff through this process,” Smith said. “Everybody has a right to understand the transparency and the importance of this process, and I’m glad we were able to demonstrate that today.”

Breeding said in a Facebook post he accepted the results, and congratulated Muse on his victory in the primary.

UPDATE: Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith conducted the recanvassing, which confirmed the count at 583 votes for Kenny Muse and 581 votes for Jonathan Breeding. The Board of Elections took no further action during the meeting.
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The Hardin County Board of Elections will conduct an official recanvass of the ballots cast in the Eighth Magisterial District Republican primary election Thursday.

“A recanvass allows us to review all of the results that came in on election night, and we’ll be doing that with the candidates or their representatives, and they get to be present for that,” said Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith. “They get to double check our math and make sure everything adds up. A recount would involve recounting the ballots. That can only be ordered by a circuit court judge.”

The recanvass will be conducted at 9 a.m. at 1370 Rogersville Road in Radcliff. Candidates and other interested parties are welcome to attend this public meeting.

The recanvass was requested by candidate Jonathan Breeding, who “filed a timely written request for the recanvass” after the initial tally from the primary showed him trailing incumbent Kenny Muse by two votes.

“If the threshold of an election is determined by 1 percent or less, any candidate involved in that election can request a recanvass, and I don’t blame a candidate who is down by two votes requesting a recanvass,” Smith said. “I will say, I’ve spoken to both candidates, and they have both been absolute gentlemen about this process, and we look forward to having that complete and reassuring everybody that the unofficial results that were announced on election night and that were certified by the Board of Elections are accurate.”

The results of the recanvass will be submitted to the State Board of Elections to become the official return for the race.