Home » House Republicans introduce ‘A Fair Plan’ ahead of redistricting special session

House Republicans introduce ‘A Fair Plan’ ahead of redistricting special session

Sessions begins in less than two weeks

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 8, 2013) – House Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover, R-Jamestown, flanked by leadership and members of the House Republican Caucus, and several Kentucky county clerks, today introduced a redistricting plan ahead of the 2013 Special Session scheduled to start in less than two weeks.

Rep. Jeff Hoover
House Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover, R-Jamestown, on Thursday introduced a redistricting plan ahead of the 2013 Special Session scheduled to start in less than two weeks.

“We believe our redistricting plan is a fair plan for Kentucky and our constituents, who have grown tired of the back room politics and the thousands of taxpayer dollars spent on blatantly partisan and unconstitutional plans offered in the past two years,” Hoover said during a press conference at the Kentucky State Capitol to unveil the proposal.

House Leader Hoover touted the details of the House Republicans’ redistricting plan:

– Splits the minimum number of counties (24) as required by the Kentucky Supreme Court.

– Splits only two precincts in the entire Commonwealth, and does not split any districts three ways. This saves taxpayers and county governments approximately $1.5 million as compared to the most recent map proposed by House Democrats.

– Places eight current House members together: one district with two Republicans, one district with two Democrats, and two districts with incumbents from both parties.

[pullquote_left]“There are those on the other side of the aisle who agree with us that we need to stop playing games, and get on with the business of drawing new boundaries.” — Rep. Jeff Hoover, R-Jamestown[/pullquote_left]

By comparison, the House redistricting plan pushed through by the House majority in 2013 did the following:

– Split 153 precincts two ways, and four precincts three ways

– Placed 13 House incumbents against each other: five districts that pitted Republicans against each other, one district that placed an incumbent Republican against an incumbent Democrat, and no districts that pitted incumbent Democrats against each other.

The House Republicans plan creates four open seats: one in eastern Jefferson County; one in Boone County; one that encompasses Anderson, Spencer and a portion of Bullitt County; and one comprised of Estill, Powell and part of Madison County.

In addition, the redistricting plan offered by House Republicans increases the percentage of minority population in the following House districts in Jefferson County:

– District 42 would be 56.50 percent African American, compared to 54.25 percent under House Bill 1 in the 2013 session

– District 43 would be 58.08 percent African American, compared to 54.18 percent under HB 1

– District 44 would be 54.30 percent African American, compared to 52.40 percent for District 41 under HB 1

Also, the minority population is virtually unchanged in the four House districts currently represented by an African American legislator.

“We believe so strongly that our redistricting plan is the best and most fair to be offered in the last three years that we are offering copies to every House Democrat who wants it,” Hoover added. “There are those on the other side of the aisle who agree with us that we need to stop playing games, and get on with the business of drawing new boundaries.”

Hoover and members of the House Republican Caucus were joined by Oldham County Clerk Julie Barr, president of the Kentucky County Clerks Association, and several county clerks, who expressed their support for the plan offered up by Leader Hoover.

“The previous redistricting plans would have resulted in unnecessary expenditures of approximately $1.5 million for our county clerks, many of whom are strapped for cash,” said House Republican Whip John ‘Bam’ Carney, R-Campbellsville. “It would have also led to confusion and further apathy for the millions of registered voters in the commonwealth.”