Tye decides against asking for recanvass

Brandon Shepherd’s one vote victory over Ed Tye for the final seat on the Corbin City Commission will stand after Tye elected not to seek a recanvass.

Corbin’s longest serving city commissioner Ed Tye has decided not to seek a recanvass after losing his bid for re-election last Tuesday by one vote.

Tye had until 4 p.m. Tuesday to file a written request with Whitley County Clerk Kay Schwartz.

When contacted via Facebook Tuesday afternoon, Tye’s wife, Sam, said her husband had no intention of doing so.

On two previous occasions, Tye had requested a recanvass with the no changes in the result.

The most recent was in 2006, when Tye missed a seat on the commission by six votes.

When contacted following the Nov. 6 election, Tye said given the one-vote margin, he would request the recanvass to ensure the totals were correct.

Schwartz explained previously that a recanvass involves checking the totals from each voting precinct and then re-adding them to ensure they are correct.

Officials at Schwartz’s office said the deadline to request a full recount is 30 days after the election.

To request a recount, the candidate would have to petition a circuit court judge, who would then issue an order.

Unlike with a recanvass, a candidate requesting a full recount would be required to pay for the recount.

“It involves hand counting all of the ballots,” officials at the clerk’s office said.

Tye, who has served 23 years on the city commission, said it is difficult to select one thing of which he is most proud.

The construction of the creek walk along Lynn Camp Creek stands high on the list, he said.

The project, which began in 2003, stretches from the Engineer Street Bridge to Rotary Park.

Some people gave up on it, but Ed never did,” said Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney in 2017, when the creek walk was named in Tye’s honor.

“Now it is one of the most visited areas in this town,” McBurney noted.

Tye said the Corbin bypass and Master Street overpass are also up there on the list.

“I’m extremely proud of my 23 years.

Joining Shepherd on the commission are Andrew Pennington, David Grigsby Hart and Trent Knuckles.

The new commissioners, along with new Mayor Suzie Razmus, will take office on Jan. 1.