Kentucky Senate files redistricting plan as the 2022 session of the General Assembly begins

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- Lawmakers are gathered in Frankfort this week for the start of the 2022 session of the legislature, and the first order of business could have an impact on voter choices this fall.

Republican Senate leaders filed their long-awaited plan to redraw Kentucky's state senate and congressional districts following the 2020 U.S. Census. The House revealed its redistricting plan last week.

The actual Senate maps had not been made public by mid-afternoon, but Senate President Robert Stivers said they reflect population shifts away from the state’s western and eastern areas. He said no incumbents have been forced to run against each other.

“No Republicans versus Republicans, no Democrats versus Democrats, and no Democrats versus Republicans,” he said.

Stivers said Louisville’s Senate districts will look “different,” but the plan maintains the majority minority district currently represented by Democratic Sen. Gerald Neal.

Stivers said Louisville's Third Congressional District, which is Kentucky’s only Democratic congressional district, remains largely intact. But some parts of southern and eastern Jefferson County were shifted. The district is currently represented by retiring Congressman John Yarmuth.

“It will be predominantly what Congressman Yarmuth represents now,” he said. “The balance of the county will go to Congressman (Brett) Guthrie.”

Lawmakers plan to pass the redrawn maps this weekend.

Senate Minority Floor Leader Morgan McGarvey, who is running for the Third District Congressional seat, is unhappy with the quick process.

“I think that fairness and transparency should be the hallmarks for redistricting," McGarvey said. "That transparency allows public input and sight into the process, because this is what's going to be there for the next 10 years."

Stivers dismissed those concerns.

“I've not had a single person ask me about redistricting,” he said. “They want to know it gets done, they want to know they're represented and they move forward.”

The Senate State and Local Government Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on the redrawn districts.

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