| Congressional Boundaries | Drawn by legislature |
| State Boundaries | Drawn by legislature |
| Governor's Party | Democratic |
| Legislative Party | Republican |
Scored Maps from the Redistricting Report Card
| Kentucky 2022 Final State Senate Map - Enacted | Graded | Sat Dec 09 2023 |
| Kentucky 2022 Final Congressional Map - Enacted | Graded | Mon Oct 02 2023 |
| Kentucky 2022 Final State House Map - Enacted | Metrics calculated | Thu Feb 03 2022 |
| Kentucky 2022 Final State Senate Map - Enacted | Metrics calculated | Thu Feb 03 2022 |
| Kentucky 2022 Final Congressional Map - Enacted | Metrics calculated | Thu Feb 03 2022 |
Communities of Interest
Check out Communities of Interest collected in this state on Representable
Learn about Communities of Interest in this state
Census-related Redistricting Timeline Delays
State Legislative
Alert: Guarded| Final Map Deadline | 2022-01-07 |
| Deadline Type | Candidate filing |
| Other Dates |
|
| News Sources | Kentucky Republicans In Charge Of Redistricting For First Time |
| Actions Proposed in State | Special session |
Congressional
Alert: Guarded| Final Map Deadline | 2022-01-07 |
| Deadline Type | Candidate filing |
| Other Dates |
|
| News Sources | Kentucky Republicans In Charge Of Redistricting For First Time |
| Actions Proposed in State | Special session |
Process
State Legislature
Kentucky's state legislative and congressional districts are drawn by the state Legislature by ordinary statute, and are subject to the Governor's veto. The Legislature can override vetoes with a simple majority vote in each chamber.
Criteria
In addition to the federal requirements of one person, one vote and the Voting Rights Act, Kentucky’s state constitution (Leg. § 33) requires that state legislative and congressional districts be contiguous and avoid county splits. Additionally, Kentucky adopted guidelines in 1991 that preserved communities of interest in congressional redistricting. It is unclear if those guidelines have been readopted.
Public Input
No public hearings are required by Kentucky law, and it appears that none were held in the 2011 redistricting cycle.
2011 Cycle
In the 2011 redistricting cycle, Kentucky faced several legal challenges:
- In Fischer v. Grimes, plaintiffs challenged the state legislative districts on the basis of unequal population, partisan gerrymandering, and state constitutional violations. The trial court found that the legislative plans did violate equal population and unnecessarily split counties; the Legislature was ordered to redraw maps, and the 2012 elections proceeded with the 2002 plan. The state Supreme Court affirmed the decision.
- In Brown v. Kentucky, plaintiffs sued in federal court over the Legislature’s failure to redraw lines, citing dilution of voting power due to malapportionment. Plaintiffs chose not to contest after new lines were drawn in a special session in August 2013.
Issues
Pitfalls
Kentucky presents a challenging case for advocates of fair districting. There is no public input process, and redistricting is under single-party control. Even with a Democrat as governor, Republicans can override a veto to a redistricting plan by a simple majority vote.
Potential Reform
House Bill 326, also known as the Fair Maps Act, was filed in the Kentucky Legislature in January 2020. The Act would have created a 15-member Advisory Redistricting Commission to draw maps for referral to the General Assembly. The bill died in committee in April.
Actions
Support reform efforts to create a redistricting advisory commission by partnering with organizations like the League of Women Voters of Kentucky and contacting your representatives.
- Read the Common Cause Activist Handbook on Redistricting Reform to learn about what reforms have been successful in the past, and what steps to take to enact reform in the future.
Contacts
League of Women Voters of Kentucky