Laurel voting precincts realigned in redistricting

Nita Johnson, The Sentinel Echo, London, Ky.
·3 min read

Jan. 24—Laurel County voters will see new precinct names in the May primary election and some will see new magisterial areas as the state mandated redistricting went into effect in 2023.

Redistricting is done ever 10 years after the U.S. Census is conducted. The purpose of redistricting is to balance the number of people in specific areas to ensure proper representation.

The Clerk's Office in each county in Kentucky oversees the election processes as well as the redistricting of the areas — as set out by state law. In 2023, election officials were challenged with redistricting areas of representation at the state, local and federal governmental levels.

The process also reduced the former 45 voting precincts in Laurel County into 23 precincts. That effort came by careful review of the various precincts and descriptions to ensure that the population for magisterial, constable, school board, House of Representatives, congressional districts, supreme court, and senatorial districts were as balanced as possible.

The Laurel County Reapportionment Board was appointed by the Laurel County Fiscal Court to review the maps and take on the tedious task of identifying overlapping areas in the voting precincts as well as trying to balance those areas according to population. Those chosen to serve on the Reapportionment Board were Ben Sizemore, Don McFadden, David Williams, Tony Brown, the Laurel County Board of Elections and the Laurel County Schools Board of Education, with Brandon Kilburn, Laurel County Election Supervisor, assisting.

The redistricting involved voting precincts for magisterial and constable district boundaries. The objectives were to provide as equal division as possible.

Laurel County utilizes the vote center model, which allows a registered voter to cast their ballot at any voting center. Formerly, voters had to cast their ballot at their specific precinct until the early voting process launched. An examination of the county's 45 precincts showed that the vote centers had no correlation to the number of precincts.

Kilburn said the process of realigning precincts was a tedious and carefully analyzed process to comply with current requirements.

"After this review, it was clear that all precinct descriptions and several precinct boundary line changes would be necessary," he said. "Some of the precincts were combined and some were renamed."

The 23 precincts, their new names and the former precincts are as below:

—Sublimity — remains the same

—Sublimity #2 — remains the same

—Campground — Campground, Stansberry, and part of McHargue

—East London — former London #3

—Rough Creek — Rough Creek, London East and Rough Creek #2

—Fariston — Fariston and Fariston #2

—Lily — Lily

—Robinson Creek — Felts, Springcut and part of McHargue

—Blackwater — Blackwater and Lake

—East Laurel — Bush, Maplesville and Johnson

—North London — London #1 and London #2

—West London — London #6

—McWhorter — McWhorter

—East Bernstadt #1 — remains the same

—East Bernstadt #2 — East Bernstadt #2, Viva and Pittsburg

—North Laurel — Oakley and Crossroads

—Liberty — London #7 and Liberty

—South London — London #5 and London #4

—Colony — Colony and Colony #2

—Hart — Hart, Hart #2 and Liberty #2

—Keavy — Campbell, Level Green and Keavy

—West Laurel — Cold Hill, Independence and Rockhouse

—South Laurel — South Laurel.