Kentucky lawmakers pass into law bill making top Louisville elections nonpartisan

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Elections for Louisville’s mayor and Metro Council will no longer be partisan after state lawmakers overturned a veto from Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday.

The Republican-led House and Senate both easily voted to quash the veto of House Bill 388, sweeping legislation that not only addresses Louisville elections but deals with EMS payments and the formation of new cities in Jefferson County.

The bill largely includes recommendations from last year's sweeping review of Louisville Metro government and services provided countywide since the 2003 city-county merger.

Supporters say the bill would put Louisville in line with most other Kentucky cities, such as Lexington, that already have nonpartisan elections.

In his veto message, Beshear called the bill "antidemocratic" and argued that if good government is the goal, then the General Assembly should make all elections in the state nonpartisan.

The Senate voted 22-10 to override the veto hours after the House voted 71-22 to do so.

Speaking on the House floor, Rep. Sarah Stalker (D-Louisville) argued in favor of upholding the Beshear action.

"The people of Jefferson County should have their voices heard when partisan or nonpartisan changes in the election occur," she said. "It is not democratic for this body to decide if we are to change the type of ways that we run our elections in Louisville for our mayor and our Metro city council members."

Besides the elections changes, the bill also would create new payments for suburban Jefferson County fire departments for handling EMS runs outside their boundaries.

Other parts of HB 388 looks at how independent cities in Jefferson County can annex land — or be formed in the first place.

Legislators previously approved letting residents in unincorporated areas in the county create new cities of at least 6,000 people after July 15, 2024, if 66% of "qualified voters" living in the proposed city limits petition the Metro Council.

This year's bill changes that threshold to "registered and qualified voters" equal to at least 60% of all votes cast in the last presidential election.

The same threshold would be applied to people in unincorporated areas who want to be annexed by a neighboring city.

The bill also bans small cities from annexing manufacturing areas — like a Ford or UPS facility — just for gain its occupational tax revenue.

The measure also places a moratorium on any changes to the Land Development Code, the main guide for land usage in Jefferson County. The freeze would take effect when the bill becomes law and last until April 15, 2025.