Kentucky enacted new congressional districts on Jan. 20 when the general assembly overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) veto of legislation establishing the state’ new congressional map. Beshear vetoed Senate Bill 3 —the congressional redistricting legislation —on Jan. 19. Kentucky was apportioned six seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. This map will take effect for Kentucky’s 2022 congressional elections.
The vote to override the governor’s veto was 26-8 in the state Senate with 23 Republicans and three Democrats in favor and five Democrats and three Republicans opposed. The override vote was 64-24 in the state House, with all votes in favor by Republicans and 21 Democrats and three Republicans voting to sustain Beshear’s veto. Republicans have a majority in both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly.
Senate Bill 3 was introduced in the Kentucky State Senate on Jan. 4. The Senate voted 28-4 in favor of the map on Jan. 6 followed by the House voting 65-25 in favor on Jan. 8.
Greg Giroux of Bloomberg Government wrote that the “congressional map [is] designed to preserve a 5–1 Republican advantage in Kentucky’s U.S. House delegation.” Giroux added, “The map most notably boosts Rep. Andy Barr (R), whose central 6th District in and around Lexington will become more Republican-friendly in part by transferring the state capital of Frankfort to the western 1st District of Rep. James Comer (R).”
As of Jan. 21, 25 states have adopted congressional district maps, two states have approved congressional district boundaries that have not yet taken effect, one state’s map was struck down by its state supreme court, six states were apportioned one congressional district (so no congressional redistricting is required), and 16 states have not yet adopted new congressional maps. As of Jan. 21 in 2012, 32 states had enacted congressional redistricting plans.
States have completed congressional redistricting for 274 of the 435 seats (63.0%) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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