KRS 120.185: Recount of election of officers referred to in KRS 120.155 -- Petition --

Recount proceeding -- Appeals -- General Assembly action regarding findings

of court.

(1) (a) 1. Any candidate who was voted for at a regular election for any of the

offices to which KRS 120.155 applies, and who does not qualify for an

automatic recount under KRS 120.157, may request a recount of the

ballots by filing a petition with the same court where petitions of contest

are required to be filed.

2. If the candidate is qualified to institute a contest proceeding under KRS

120.155, the candidate may request a recount by including a recount

request in his or her petition instituting the contest proceeding.

(b) Any candidate who is a contestee in a contest proceeding und er KRS 120.155

may request a recount in his or her answer filed in the contest proceeding, but

only if the answer containing the recount request is filed within five (5) days

after service of the petition upon the contestee.

(c) Any candidate under this su bsection who would receive a certificate of

election from the county board of elections under KRS 118.425 shall file his

or her petition requesting a recount not later than ten (10) days after the day of

the election. The county board of elections shall be named a party defendant in

the petition.

(d) Any candidate under this subsection who would receive a certificate of

election from the State Board of Elections under KRS 118.425 shall file his or

her petition requesting a recount not later than the second Tuesday following

the election. The State Board of Elections shall be named a party defendant in

the petition.

(e) The party requesting the recount shall execute bond with approved surety for

the costs of the recount, in an amount to be fixed by the Circui t Judge. The

bond may be filed by the state political party, political organization, or

political group, if any, to which the candidate is affiliated. Upon the bond

being filed, the clerk shall immediately notify the Circuit Judge of the request

and the filing of the bond, and the judge shall at once enter an order directing

the voting machines, voting equipment, or voting system, ballots, boxes, and

all papers pertaining to the election be secured. The court shall further order

that the voting equipment, v oting system, and ballot boxes containing all

paper ballots shall remain continuously locked as required by KRS 117.295

until the time set for the recount. The keys shall remain in the custody and

possession of the county board of elections until the time set for the recount.

(f) The Circuit Court shall fix a day for the recount proceedings to begin. A copy

of the order shall be served upon the parties or their counsel in the same

manner as notices are required to be served, which shall be deemed sufficient

notice of the proceeding.

(g) At the recount, each political party represented on the county board of

elections may appoint a representative to be present, and each candidate

subject to the recount may be present, either in person or by a representative,

or both. The county board of elections shall authorize representatives of the

news media to observe the recount.

(h) On the day fixed by the court, the county board of elections shall meet and

after confirming the integrity of the ballots, shall proceed to recount the

ballots.

(i) The county board of elections shall complete the recount as soon as

practicable, and shall forward the results of the recount to the Circuit Court.

(j) Upon receipt of the results of the recount, the court shall enter a judgment

setting out the results of the recount, and directing the State Board of

Elections or county board of elections, whichever would issue the certificate

of election, to issue the certificate to the party entitled thereto as shown by the

recount.

(k) No certificate of election shall be issued by the State Board of Elections or any

county board of elections while any recount proceeding is pending, and any

certificate of election issued before the final judgment in any recount

proceeding shall be null and void.

(l) Any party may appeal from the judgment issued under paragraph (j) of this

subsection to the Court of Appeals, in the same manner as provided in KRS

120.075, and all of the provisions of that statute shall apply.

(m) If a proceeding for recount is reque sted and prosecuted in a contest

proceeding, the recount shall not await the preparation or trial of the contest in

the Circuit Court or in the Court of Appeals. The action of the courts shall be

final as to the question of a recount of the ballots under t his subsection, and

certificates shall then be issued to the parties entitled thereto.

(2) (a) Any slate of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, or any

candidate for the United States Senate or the United States House of

Representatives who was voted for at a regular election or a special election,

and who does not qualify for an automatic recount under KRS 120.157, may

request a recount of the ballots by filing a petition in the Franklin Circuit

Court.

(b) For any slate of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the petition

requesting a recount shall be filed not later than the Tuesday following the

election. No recanvass under KRS 117.305 shall be conducted. The court shall

order the recount to commence at 9 a.m. local time not later than a date five

(5) days after the filing of the petition. The recount shall be completed by the

county board of elections within fourteen (14) days of commencement of the

recount, Sundays excluded. The State Board of Elections shall be named a

party defendant in the petition.

(c) For any candidate for the United States Senate or the United States House of

Representatives, the petition requesting a recount shall be filed not later than

the second Tuesday following the election. The State Board of Elections shall

be named a party defendant in the petition.

(d) Except for the time requirements established under paragraphs (b) and (c) of

this subsection, the recount shall proceed as provided in subsection (1)(e) to

(j) of this section.

(e) No appeal shall be t aken from the findings issued by the Franklin Circuit

Court described in subsection (1)(j) of this section; however, any party

aggrieved by the findings or action of the court may file a petition for contest

to the General Assembly under KRS 120.195, and t he General Assembly may

accept, modify, or disregard the findings of the court in its sole and absolute

discretion.

(f) No certificate of election shall be issued by the State Board of Elections while

any recount proceeding or contest proceeding is pending , and if issued before

entry of the findings described in paragraph (e) of this subsection shall be null

and void.

(g) Any candidate for the United States Senate or the United States House of

Representatives aggrieved by the findings or action of the court shall proceed

under the rules established by the United States Congress or federal law.

(3) (a) Any candidate for the General Assembly who was voted for at a regular

election or special election, and who does not qualify for an automatic recount

under KRS 120.157, may request a recount of the ballots by filing a petition in

the Circuit Court of the county where the requesting candidate resides.

(b) The petition requesting a recount shall be filed not later than the second

Tuesday following the election. The State Board of Elections shall be named a

party defendant in the petition.

(c) The recount shall proceed as provided in subsection (1)(e) to (j) of this

section.

(d) No appeal shall be taken from the findings issued by the court described in

subsection (1)(j) of this section; however, any party aggrieved by the findings

or action of the court may file a petition for contest to the General Assembly

under KRS 120.195, and the General Assembly may accept, modify, or

disregard the findings of the court in its sole and absolute discretion.

(e) No certificate of election shall be issued by the State Board of Elections while

any recount proceeding or contest proceeding is pending, and if issued before

entry of the findings described in subsection (1)(j) of this s ection shall be null

and void.