Written by Mark Payne, LINK nky politics and government reporter
The Kentucky Democratic Party is filing a lawsuit against the House and Senate Congressional redistricting maps, which went into law Thursday after the House and Senate overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s vetoes of the maps on Wednesday.
Several Franklin County residents who would be affected by the maps joined with House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Derrick Graham (D-Frankfort) to file the suit.
“I believe the best legislation comes from public participation, but it’s clear the General Assembly kept their redistricting plan a secret until days before they passed it because it violates both the Constitution and the trust we place in our representatives,” said plaintiff Mary Lynn Collins. “Their maps weaken my voice, my representation, and my vote by placing me and my neighbors in a gerrymandered district that stretches for hundreds of miles to the Mississippi River.”
One of the main criticisms from Democrats is that they say there was no transparency in the process, arguing that the public should have time to view the maps.
“These maps were drawn behind closed doors with no public input to silence the voices of hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians,” said Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge. “We are joining residents who are disenfranchised by these gerrymandered districts to stop this partisan power grab. These maps intentionally slice up cities and counties, reduce the number of women serving in the House and dilute the voices of minority communities.”
“The best redistricting that happens … is to not present maps at the last minute and then file them and then pass a law,” said Rep. Buddy Wheatley to LINK in December. “It is to put those maps in the public view for at least 30 days, so you can get some public input on the redistricting and redrawing of boundaries.”
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