 Goebel secured the Democratic nomination for governor at a contentious nominating convention . Despite the nominations of two minor party candidates – including that of former governor John Y. Brown by a dissident faction of Democrats – the race centered on Goebel and his Republican opponent , Attorney General William S. Taylor . The results of the election were too close to call for several days . Before the official results could be announced , charges of voting irregularities began . In Nelson County , 1 @,@ 200 ballots listed the Republican candidate as " W. P. Taylor " instead of " W. S. Taylor " ; Democrats claimed these votes should be invalidated . In Knox and Johnson counties , voters complained of " thin tissue ballots " that allowed the voter 's choices to be seen through them . In the city of Louisville , Democrats charged that the militia had intimidated voters there and that the entire city 's vote should be invalidated . 
