Judge weighs constitutionality of redistricting

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Kentucky's filing deadline to run for legislative seats became a moving target again on Monday when a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.

Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week. Shepherd has already extended the filing deadline once, and said he may do it again.

"I will say that I am very mindful of the fact that this decision is one that is time sensitive," Shepherd said at the conclusion of the four-hour hearing Monday afternoon.

For more than a month, Kentucky's Legislature has focused almost entirely on the contentious debate over redrawing legislative and congressional district boundaries. Other issues have been stalled while the courts work to decide whether the legislative process should be struck down and while lawmakers continue to battle over congressional lines.

"It's held up the whole session, obviously, and until it gets resolved it's going to be difficult for anything to happen in this session," House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Monday.

Redistricting occurs every 10 years to account for population changes reported in the U.S. Census. The latest count found that the state's overall population grew from 4 million to 4.3 million from 2000 to 2010, forcing new boundaries to be drawn so that each congressmen and legislator represents an equal number of people.ce stationed at Fort Campbell.