Election officials double-checking Kentucky vote totals

Election officials across Kentucky have started double-checking vote totals that show Republican Gov. Matt Bevin trailing Democrat Andy Beshear by more than 5,000 votes.

Bevin has refused to concede last week’s election and requested Thursday’s recanvass. He acknowledges it’s highly unlikely the outcome will change after checking to ensure results were tallied correctly.

Bevin’s options after that include contesting the election, which could put the outcome in the hands of state lawmakers.

Beshear, the state attorney general, has declared victory and begun preparing to become governor next month.

The Associated Press hasn’t declared a winner, in keeping with its policy not to call races close enough to go to a recount. Although Kentucky’s recount law doesn’t apply to a governor’s election, the AP is applying that same standard here.