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Redistricting in Kentucky after the 2010 census

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Public Policy Logo-one line.pngin Kentucky

Note: Redistricting takes place every 10 years after completion of the United States Census. The information here pertains to the 2010 redistricting process. For information on more recent redistricting developments, see this article.


Redistricting in Kentucky
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General information
Partisan control:
Democratic
Process:
Legislative
Deadline:
May 2013
Total seats
Congress:
6
State Senate:
38
State House:
100
Figure 1: This map shows Kentucky's congressional districts after the 2000 census.

This article details the timeline of redistricting events in Kentucky following the 2010 census. It also provides contextual information about the redistricting process and census information.

Process

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

During the 2010 redistricting cycle, the Kentucky General Assembly was responsible for redistricting, as per Section 33 of the legislative department article of the state constitution. Although not required by state statutes, each chamber was expected to prepare its own redistricting plan. These plans were then proposed as bills and passed as ordinary legislation. As such, the governor had the authority to veto any redistricting plan.[1]

Leadership

Kentucky received its local redistricting data on March 17, 2011. Factoring in time to prepare supplementary data and to transfer census information into necessary software formats, the actual work of redrawing legislative boundaries was expected to begin sometime in July 2011 according to legislative sources. An interim committee was appointed to guide the process.

Figure 2: This map shows Kentucky House districts after the 2000 census.
Figure 3: This map shows Kentucky Senate districts after the 2000 census.

Members of the Interim Joint Committee on State Government in 2011 included:

Under state law, two scenarios for the enactment of redistricting plans were possible. The governor could call a special legislative session at the end of 2011 to approve the redistricting plan or, as had been done in the past, the legislature could take up the matter in 2012. The initial deadline to approve a redistricting plan was set for January 31, 2012, though lawmakers had the authority to extend that deadline.

Census results

Figure 4: This map displays Kentucky's population changes from 2000 to 2010 by county.

Between 2000 to 2010, Kentucky's statewide population grew by 7.4 percent, adding approximately 298,000 residents. Specific areas outpaced that growth rate; for instance, the Lexington area experienced a population growth rate of 189.2 percent. Both the eastern and western ends of Kentucky experienced population loss. The state's central region experienced population increases.[2] The state's white population grew by 4.6 percent, the black population by 14 percent, the American Indian population by 17.5 percent, the Asian-American population by 64.5 percent, and the Hispanic population by 121.6 percent.[3]

Redistricting

July 2011: Special session uncertain

As of late July 2011, Gov. Steve Beshear (D) remained undecided about whether to call a special session to complete redistricting. According to The Republic, a special session was expected to cost approximately $60,000 per day.[4]

October 2011: Leaders debate special session

The leaders of Kentucky’s legislative chambers began discussing the state’s redistricting timeline. House Speaker Greg Stumbo (D) argued that a special session should be held prior to the start of the 2012 regular session. He said that starting in January could overshadow other important issues and disrupt the electoral process in the event of a delay. Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers (R) said that, at $63,000 per day, a special session was not worth the cost. He further argued that the last redistricting session went smoothly without a special session or serious delays.[5]

November 2011: Stumbo floats congressional maps; governor considers special session

In November 2011, House Speaker Greg Stumbo (D) outlined a possible redistricting plan for Kentucky’s congressional districts. Republicans argued the plan weakened the GOP base in the 1st and 5th Districts and displaced U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie (R) in District 2. Stumbo argued that the plan was designed to create more compact districts. At the time of redistricting, Republicans controlled four of the state’s six congressional districts.[6]

As of early November 2011, Governor Steve Beshear (D) had yet to decide whether to call a special session of the legislature. Republicans favored waiting, citing the cost associated with holding a special session. Stumbo said he would favor a special session in the event that lawmakers had a compromise ready.[7]

November 29, 2011: Thayer offers congressional proposal

On November 29, 2011, Senate Redistricting Chair Damon Thayer (R) released a redistricting proposal for the state's congressional districts. Thayer said his plan made no attempt to shift the partisan balance of the districts.[8]

January 10-12, 2012: House moves on redistricting maps

On January 10, 2012, the Kentucky House of Representatives approved a redistricting plan for the U.S. House by a vote of 54 to 42.[9] A copy of the House-approved congressional plan can be accessed here.

On January 12, 2012, the Kentucky House approved a new state House district plan by a vote of 63 to 34. Republicans decried the proposal and suggested that legal action might be taken against the map if approved.[10][11]

January 20, 2012: Beshear signs legislative plans

On January 20, 2012, Governor Steve Beshear (D) signed the state's legislative redistricting plans into law. Each chamber drew its own maps, guided in each case by the majority party (Republicans in the Senate and Democrats in the House). The chambers remained at an impasse on congressional maps.[12]

The filing deadline for both congressional and state legislative candidates in the 2012 election cycle was originally scheduled for January 31, 2012. The congressional filing deadline was moved to February 7, 2012.[13]

February 3, 2012: Stumbo says U.S. House compromise near

Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo (D) said lawmakers in the Republican Senate and Democratic House were in the process of reaching a compromise on Kentucky's congressional districts.[14]

February 10, 2012: Congressional map adopted

On February 10, 2012, the Kentucky State Legislature approved a congressional redistricting plan. The plan was adopted by a vote of 29 to 7 in the Senate and 58 to 26 in the House. Governor Steve Beshear (D) signed the plan into law on the same day. These events came one day after a lawsuit was filed asking the courts to take over the congressional redistricting process.[15]

Legal issues

January 26, 2012: Lawmakers file suit challenging state legislative maps

On January 26, 2012, House Republicans filed a suit challenging the state House map. GOP lawmakers argued that the plan unnecessarily divided counties. On January 30, 2012, Senator Kathy Stein (D) joined the lawsuit, challenging the Senate redistricting plan. She contended that the changes to her district disenfranchised Lexington voters.[16][17]

January 31, 2012: Judge postpones filing deadline

On January 31, 2012, a state circuit judge maps extended the filing deadline for candidates from January 31 to February 7.[18]

February 7, 2012: Court tosses state legislative maps

On February 7, 2012, a Franklin Circuit Court ruled that Kentucky's new state legislative district maps were unconstitutional, finding that the districts exhibited unacceptable population disparities and divided too many counties, both violations of the Kentucky Constitution. The state planned to appeal the ruling to the Kentucky Supreme Court.[19]

The circuit court's ruling can be accessed here.

The state appealed the decision, and the appeal was fast-tracked by the Kentucky Supreme Court.[20]

February 24, 2012: State supreme court hears appeal, upholds circuit court ruling

On February 24, 2012, the Kentucky Supreme Court heard arguments in the appeal of the circuit court ruling that had overturned the state legislative district map.[21][22]

Later that day, after hearing oral arguments, the Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the circuit court ruling. As a consequence of the state supreme court's ruling, 2012 elections were conducted under the state's existing legislative districts.[23][24]

The state supreme court's order can be accessed here.

April and June 2013: New redistricting suits filed over state legislative maps

In April 2013, local officials and residents in northern Kentucky filed suit against the state and several state legislators, asking the court to impose a deadline of November 4, 2013, for the state legislature to approve new district maps.[25] In June, five more residents of Kentucky asked a three-judge panel to draft new state's legislative districts. These residents claimed that the lack of new maps had left them without adequate representation.[26]

June 20, 2013: Governor calls special session for redistricting

On June 20, 2013, Governor Steve Beshear (D) called for a special session of the legislature to consider redistricting. The special session was set to begin on August 19, 2013.[27][28][29]

August 23, 2013: New state legislative maps adopted

Gov. Steve Beshear signed new state legislative district maps into law on August 23, 2013. The legislation was approved by a vote of 35 to 2 in the Senate and 79 to 18 in the House. The newly adopted maps were subject to approval by a three-judge federal panel tasked with overseeing the process.[30][31]

November 2013: Federal court affirms legality of district maps

In November 2013, a federal court affirmed the legality of the newly adopted district maps.[32]

History

Deviation from ideal districts

2000 Population Deviation[33]
Office Percentage
Congressional districts 0.00%
State House districts 10.00%
State Senate districts 9.53%
Under federal law, districts may vary from an ideal district (i.e., a district with a perfectly equal population to that of other districts) by up to 10 percent. The composition of an ideal district is calculated by dividing of the number of seats for any office into the population at the time of the census.

Congressional districts in December 2010

Partisan registration and representation by congressional district, 2010
Congressional District[34] Republicans Democrats Other District total Party advantage* 111th Congress 112th Congress
1 (Western Kentucky) 152,383 284,080 23,362 459,825 152.05% Democratic
2 (West Central Kentucky) 180,096 278,250 32,279 490,625 54.51% Democratic
3 (Louisville) 157,711 286,459 41,579 485,749 81.64% Democratic
4 (Northern Kentucky) 201,854 258,626 46,415 506,895 28.13% Democratic
5 (Eastern Kentucky) 210,920 236,069 15,133 462,122 11.92% Democratic
6 (Central Kentucky) 171,961 285,329 37,079 494,369 65.35% Democratic
State totals 1,074,925 1,628,813 195,847 2,899,585 51.53% Democratic 2 D, 4 R 2 D, 4 R
*The partisan registration advantage was computed as the gap between the two major parties in registered voters.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Courier-Journal, "Hardball politics likely to guide Kentucky redistricting," March 26, 2011
  2. ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Census: Three Kentucky congressional districts have too many people," March 19, 2011
  3. ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Census Bureau releases Kentucky redistricting data," March 17, 2011
  4. ↑ The Republic, "Gov. Steve Beshear hasn't decided whether to call special session for redistricting," July 28, 2011
  5. ↑ Courier-Journal, "Kentucky House, Senate leaders at odds on redistricting," October 6, 2011
  6. ↑ Courier-Journal, "Brett Guthrie opposes Kentucky congressional district redraw," November 16, 2011
  7. ↑ The Republican, "Top Republican in Kentucky House urges governor to reject special session on redistricting," November 16, 2011
  8. ↑ Courier-Journal, "Kentucky Republican senator Damon Thayer unveils congressional remap plan," November 29, 2011
  9. ↑ WFPL, "State House Approves Congressional Redistricting Map," January 10, 2012
  10. ↑ The Republic, "Ky. House Democrats pass contentious legislative redistricting plan despite GOP objections," January 12, 2012
  11. ↑ Courier-Journal, "GOP challenges redistricting plan even as it passes House," January 12, 2012
  12. ↑ The Richmond Register, "Beshear signs redistricting law despite controversy," January 21, 2012
  13. ↑ The Republic, "Kentucky lawmakers look to postpone congressional election filing deadline by 1 week," January 27, 2012
  14. ↑ Courier-Journal, "Congressional redistricting plan near, Stumbo says," February 3, 2012
  15. ↑ The Republic, "Ky. lawmakers pass congressional redistricting proposal; governor signs into law," February 10, 2012
  16. ↑ Kentucky.com, "Lawsuit challenges Kentucky's redistricting plan," January 29, 2012
  17. ↑ Real Clear Politics, "Judge to rule by Tuesday on filing deadlines," January 30, 2012
  18. ↑ Courier-Journal, "Judge delays filing deadline for Kentucky legislative candidates," February 1, 2012
  19. ↑ Courier-Journal, "Legislators to appeal ruling on districts," February 9, 2012
  20. ↑ Kentucky.com, "Supreme Court puts redistricting case on fast track," February 14, 2012
  21. ↑ Kentucky.com, "Supreme Court to hear redistricting oral arguments Friday," February 24, 2012
  22. ↑ The Ledger Independent, "State battle could complicate county precinct mapping," accessed February 23, 2012
  23. ↑ McCreary, "Supreme Court tosses redistricting," February 29, 2012
  24. ↑ nky.com, "Candidates withdraw from state races due to redistricting," February 28, 2012
  25. ↑ nky.cincinnati.com, "N.Ky. residents sue for redistricting," April 26, 2013
  26. ↑ WKYT.com, "Another federal lawsuit filed over redistricting," May 10, 2013
  27. ↑ The Lexington Herald-Leader, "Three-judge panel to rule soon on Kentucky legislative redistricting case," June 21, 2013
  28. ↑ Lex18, "Beshear Issues Call For Special Session On Redistricting," June 20, 2013
  29. ↑ The Associated Press, "Judges to Rule Soon in Redistricting Case," June 21, 2013
  30. ↑ Kentucky.com, "Governor quickly signs redistricting bill into law," August 23, 2013
  31. ↑ Cincinnati.com, "New KY district maps leave NKY feeling snubbed," August 23, 2013
  32. ↑ WFPL News,' "Federal Court Sides With Plaintiffs in Kentucky Redistricting Case," November 1, 2013
  33. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, “Redistricting 2000 Population Deviation Table," accessed February 1, 2011
  34. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, Kentucky State Board of Elections, "VOTER REGISTRATION STATISTICS REPORT," December 21, 2010 (dead link)
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