# Will Kentucky Republicans nullify the vote and give Matt Bevin the governorship? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 11, 2019, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271 "2019-11-11T02:06:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/21 "2019-11-11T21:26:02Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > They’re not really looking hard for irregularities. From what I’ve read, the recanvass consists mainly of getting the vote machine to reprint up their results and check them against what was reported. Bevin has claimed that there are irregularities. I understand that some GOP have already indicated they’re ready to move on, but I just wonder what would really happen if he refused to accept the outcome. The ball would be in their court. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/22 "2019-11-11T21:30:09Z")
There have also been robocalls from a state GOP activist group asking people to call and report irregularities before the recanvass deadline. > **[Matt Bevin supporter's robocall seeks 'suspicious activity' at polls ahead of...](https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/kentucky/2019/11/08/kentucky-governor-race-activists-robocall-seeks-voter-fraud-reports-before-recanvass/2528098001/)** > > Matt Bevin has alleged widespread voting irregularities and fraud on Election Day, but he hasn't provided any evidence to back up those claims. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/23 "2019-11-11T21:33:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If all it takes to override a veto is a majority in both chambers, then what does a veto even accomplish at all? If you have the votes to pass in the first place, then you also have the votes to overturn. It’s a weak veto power, but I can see two possible ways it could influence things: 1. It’s an opportunity for the governor to push back politically, because the vetoed bill is sent back with detailed objections. “I think this is bad for these reasons, and I’m willing to fight you on it.” The objections could theoretically persuade enough of the legislature to block, change, or clarify the bill. (It could also be a signal that the governor’s party is going to try to use the new law against those who voted for it electorally, in an effort to erode legislative support for the bill.) 2. I believe the Kentucky governor has a line-item veto. If the governor picks relatively unpopular parts of the bill in question to veto, some legislators who voted for an overall compromise package would probably not be particular motivated to override the veto. The governor might not be able to stop the whole bill, but could potentially strip a poison pill out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/24 "2019-11-11T23:05:23Z")
Anybody can claim irregularities. There are always a few, not enough to overturn the official count (usually), but enough to claim there are. I can’t imagine him not trying and then it is up to the Republican legislature. Would they vote for democracy? I don’t see them doing that. You have power; use it. The Republican party is without shame. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/25 "2019-11-12T01:11:38Z")
McConnell seems to have [given up](https://wfpl.org/mcconnell-moves-on-from-bevin-well-have-a-different-governor-in-3-weeks/) on Bevin and is ready to call it done. > [@](#): > > “I’m sorry Matt came up short, but he had a good four years and I think all indications are — barring some dramatic reversal on recanvass — that we’ll have a different governor in three weeks,” > […] > “My first election was almost the exactly the same number of votes that Beshear won by. We had a recanvass, they added them up, it didn’t change and we all moved on,” McConnell said. I suspect that GOP leaders have asked Bevin about his supposed “irregularities” and know that he’s just desperately blowing smoke. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/26 "2019-11-14T19:46:52Z")
[Bevin Concedes.](https://www.wlky.com/article/its-recanvass-day-in-kentucky-how-it-works-beshear-bevin-governor/29796544) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2019, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/27 "2019-11-14T20:06:56Z")
Best timestamped event: > [@](#): > > 11:20 a.m.: With results from 51/120 counties, the recanvass has not changed any vote totals for Bevin or Beshear. However, Blackii Effing Whyte (a real candidate) picked up one vote in Casey County, the only “issue” so far. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/28 "2019-11-15T15:33:32Z")
I suppose it wouldn’t be fair to vote No at this point. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/29 "2019-11-15T18:03:38Z")
I did. This thread is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/30 "2019-11-15T19:22:09Z")
> [@ricksummon](#): > > Does this power also extend to elections for US Senators? In other words, can McConnell “request” that the Kentucky state legislature “reelect” him in 2020? No; the provision is specific to gubernatorial elections. Moscow Mitch wants the whole idea to just go away, lest it enrage and energize Kentucky Democrats just in time for _his_ election. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/31 "2019-11-15T19:35:27Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > No; the provision is specific to gubernatorial elections. Moscow Mitch wants the whole idea to just go away, lest it enrage and energize Kentucky Democrats just in time for _his_ election. Because Lord knows the Democrats have absolutely no other reason to be enraged at him and the GOP as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/32 "2019-11-16T00:07:36Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Best timestamped event: > > 😃 I love it when whackadoodle candidates run on a ballot just for shits and giggles. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/33 "2019-11-16T17:08:25Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I suppose it wouldn’t be fair to vote No at this point. > > Regards, > Shodan Maybe not, but is it ever a good idea to pass up an opportunity to cast a vote for the winning side of an issue? Waitaminute, is this a public poll? Lemme check. No, nobody can see how you voted. No apparent benefit now, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271/34 "2019-11-22T01:28:06Z")
A fun little coda on this story: At Matt Bevin’s afterparty, a woman in a business suit and Wonder Woman t-shirt ran up to the mic, announced that Bevin had won (he had not), and bounced up and down for a while before being ushered off the stage and out of the Galt House. [Someone finally caught up with her and did an interview, and she’s a doozy.](https://www.rcnky.com/articles/2019/11/21/covington-woman-explains-why-she-told-gop-crowd-bevin-won?fbclid=IwAR1MCWMl-glWahtiNiHDYHLpUJyRUst65BLTWIBTTIONi7cOmSyE2eQ9aE8) “I felt it was a spiritual thing,” she says. I suspect the spirit in question was vodka. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kentucky-republicans-nullify-the-vote-and-give-matt-bevin-the-governorship/843271.md?page=1)