Redistricting in Kentucky and the Fair Maps Initiative
Redistricting is the process used to define the districts for seats in the United States House of Representatives, in state legislatures and local government seats. In 2017 the League of Women Voters of Kentucky formed a committee to study redistricting and create a report to raise awareness of the importance of redistricting and provide recommendations to improve the process in Kentucky at the state level. The report can be found here.
The Kentucky Fair Maps Campaign is advocating for transparency in Kentucky's redistricting process. Initial efforts to create a citizen-led redistricting advisory commission failed so the League has refocused and is calling for an open, transparent process with robust opportunities for public input. Fair Maps Forums/Webinars have been held throughout the state in the fall of 2021 to share draft maps and gather public comments for creating recommended maps to legislators.
NEWS RELEASES
January 13, 2022: Joint KY NAACP/LWV Statement on Kentucky Redistricting
January 5, 2022: LWV KY Testimony at House Committee Hearing
January 5, 2022: LWV KY Statement submitted to Senate Committee Hearing
January 2, 2022: LWV KY Statement on House Map released Dec. 30.
September 16, 2021: Hopkinsville League of Women Voters will host a Fair Maps Webinar
September 13, 2021:LWVKY is hosting a series of Fair Maps Forums/Webinars across the Commonwealth
August 12, 2021: League Seeks Citizen Input On Redistricting
REPORTS
Find out if the 2020 Census will affect you: 2020 County Estimate Reports by LWVKY
Kentucky Estimated Population Changes from 2010 to 2018
December 2017: Redistricting Kentucky: A Guidebook for Citizen Participation,
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
January 2021: Fair Maps Act House Bill 23
January 2020: Fair Maps Act Bill
2020: How Can You Help Pass Kentucky’s Fair Maps Act?
RESOURCES
Sept. 9, 2019: "Too many voters live under minority rule: Here's why, Arnold Schwarzenegger and David Daley, Washington Post
January 2019: Measuring compactness: A Fair Redistricting Process
December 15, 2020: League Releases Simpler, Fairer Maps for Legislative Discussion
January 13, 2020: League Calls for Fair Maps Act Creating an Advisory Redistricting Commission
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
March 18th: League of Women Voters of Kentucky response to Bob Heleringer’s guest column in the Courier-Journal on redistricting. For Jim Wayne’s response, please click here.
February 15, 2018: Hey Kentucky! Commentary
When the People Draw the Lines: An Examination of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission
LRCvFischer.Ky, the 2012 Kentucky Court Ruling on Redistricting
Developing and Action Agenda for Redistricting in 2011, the LWVUS and The Campaign Legal Center
Mapping the Treasure State: What States Can Learn from Redistricting in Montana