FRANKFORT, Ky. — Regardless of where the coronavirus pandemic goes from here, it’s already complicating next year’s election: most of the candidates don’t know the exact districts they’re running for yet because the virus slowed down last year’s Census. 

What You Need To Know

  • Kentucky lawmakers are currently working on redistricting, the process of redrawing the legislative districts

  • The coronavirus pandemic delayed data collection by the U.S. Census Bureau

  • Lawmakers won't have the full set of data until the end of Sept.

  • Either a special session will be needed to pass new legislative maps or filing deadlines for the 2022 elections will need to be pushed back

“We’ll have to jump on it real quickly,” said Rep. Jerry Miller (D-Eastwood), co-chair of the interim state government committee. “There’s not going to be many days off for the last part of the year because we have to do this.”

Preliminary data from the U.S. Census Bureau won’t come in until mid-August and the full data set is set to come in Sept. 30. Even if lawmakers figure out the legislative maps soon after the data comes in, they wouldn’t be able to act until Jan. unless Gov. Andy Beshear calls a special session.

“If the governor doesn’t call a special session in later this year, we will have to come in the first week of our session in Jan. and immediately pass a change to the filing deadlines, postpone that perhaps a few weeks,” Miller said.

The filing deadline for candidates running in the May primary is Jan. 7, while the legislative session will likely start Jan. 4.

Lawmakers may also consider a judicial redistricting plan next year.

Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton told the interim state government committee that, for the most part, court districts haven’t been touched since the late 1800s.

“Perhaps the time has come for us to take another look at it,” he said. “And in fact, I hope we do.”

Lawmakers have tried three times in the last five sessions to redraw the judicial districts and circuits, but nothing has passed.

“I know that some of you have worked on it pretty hard and it certainly has not happened in many, many, many years,” Minton said. “And we’ve had lots of changes in the population distribution of this commonwealth.”

And several lawmakers have expressed a desire to change the judicial maps, citing how overworked some judges are, especially in Jefferson County.

But with the legislative maps, a new budget and other issues to deal with next session, time could be the biggest factor. 

Related Stories