Together Frankfort
Civic Engagement & Education Committee: Campaign Finance/Dark Money Team
Kentucky's League of Women Voters studied redistricting and created a report to raise awareness of the importance of redistricting. The report included recommendations to improve the process in Kentucky at the state level. Click here to learn more about these important recommendations and ideas for shining some sunlight on Kentucky's redistricting process.
More recently, Rep. Joni Jenkins, of Louisville, introduced legislation, House Bill 482, to establish a Legislative Advisory Reapportionment and Redistricting Commission. Other states have used this approach to ensure public input into the redistricting process and to help reduce gerrymandering.
Automatic voter registration (AVR) - Learn more from this amazing Brennen Center article, describing 15 states which have already approved AVR. Results are staggering. Since Oregon became the first state to implement AVR, their registration rates have quadrupled!
Take Back Our Elections!
Redistricting and Ending Gerrymandering - Every 10 years, following the U.S. Census report, state legislators redraw the district boundaries to reflect the population changes. These lines affect state and national elections and the interests of every Kentuckian. Do you know what options Kentucky has under the current rules for redistricting – and how to change them? Probably not, since these districts are often designed and discussed in closed meeting rooms, with little public input. Many states are working to change this and now, Kentucky will be also! Click here for more resources on redistricting and ending gerrymandering.
Same Day Voter Registration (SDR) - As of January 2019, 17 states plus the District of Columbia offer same day registration (SDR), which allows any qualified resident of the state to go to register to vote and cast a ballot all in that day. The National Conference of State Legislators examined this topic, concluding that:
"There is strong evidence that same day and Election Day registration increases voter turnout, but the extent of the impact is difficult to conclude.
Immediately following the implementation of SDR, states usually see a boost in voter numbers. Same day registration states also tend to outperform other states in terms of turnout percentages."