Government of Louisville, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Louisville Metro
is governed by an executive dubbed the Metro Mayor as well as a city legislature
dubbed the Metro Council
. The second and current Metro Mayor is Greg Fischer
(D
), who entered office on January 3, 2011. Fischer was elected with 51% of the vote in 2010.
The Metro Council consists of twenty-six seats corresponding to districts apportioned by population throughout the city. All of the seats are for four year terms. Using a staggered process, half (thirteen) of the seats are reelected every two years. The council is chaired by a Council President, currently Jim King (D), who is elected by the council members annually. Democrats currently have a 65.4% (17 to 9 seat) majority on the council.
The Official Seal of the City of Louisville, no longer used following the formation of a consolidated city-county
government in 2003, reflected its history and heritage in the fleur-de-lis
representing French
aid given during the Revolutionary War
, and the thirteen stars signify the original colonies. It was designed by legendary Austria
n typographer
Victor Hammer
. The new seal of the consolidated government retains the fleur-de-lis, but has only two stars, one representing the city and the other the county.
Kentucky's 3rd congressional district
is roughly contiguous with Louisville Metro, and is currently represented by Rep.
John Yarmuth
(D), though some of the southern areas of the city are in the 2nd congressional district
, which is represented by Brett Guthrie
(R
). Democrats are the majority of registered voters in 424 of the 497 voting precincts in the 3rd congressional district
. Louisville has not elected a Republican mayor since 1965.
came shortly after the settlement began. In 1779, pioneering founders elected five men "trustees". In 1780 the town was formerly chartered and the Virginia legislature provided for local government by nine legislature-appointed trustees. When Kentucky became a state in 1792 the Kentucky legislature
took over the appointments.
Trustees did not have to live in Louisville until a 1795 law change. In 1797 citizens were given the privilege of electing trustees. Most important decisions still had to be made at the state level, and the trustees were administrators rather than legislators.
When Louisville became Kentucky's first city in 1828, greater autonomy came with it, in the form of a ten-member "Common Council" and a mayor. In 1851 the city was given a new charter, keeping the Common Council as a "lower house" to the Board of Aldermen, an "upper house" of the city's legislative power
. In 1929 the larger but less prestigious Common Council was eliminated. This legislative system continued until City-County Merger.
The 26-seat Louisville Metro Council
was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County
and replaced the city's Board of Aldermen and the county's Fiscal Court (three county commissioners).
, serving a one-year term, and lacking a vote on the City Council except to break ties.
A change to the charter in 1838 allowed for direct election
of a mayor, extended the term to three years, and prevented incumbents from running for re-election. The term was reduced to two years from 1851 to 1870, then returned to three, and was finally set at four years by the Kentucky Legislature in 1894. In the early 20th century, corruption and political machines were rampant, causing mayors of both parties to be removed from office by courts. All legislative power was given to the Board of Aldermen in 1929. Mayoral term limit
s were set at three in 1986.
On January 6, 2003, the city of Louisville and Jefferson County
governments merged to form one Metro Government and the new office Mayor of Louisville Metro.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
is governed by an executive dubbed the Metro Mayor as well as a city legislature
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
dubbed the Metro Council
Louisville Metro Council
The Louisville Metro Council is the city legislature of Louisville, Kentucky . It was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County and replaced the city's Board of Aldermen and the county's Fiscal Court .The Metro Council consists of...
. The second and current Metro Mayor is Greg Fischer
Greg Fischer
Gregory E. Fischer is a businessman and Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky. He is a graduate of Louisville's Trinity High School and Vanderbilt University, entrepreneur, and community leader....
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
), who entered office on January 3, 2011. Fischer was elected with 51% of the vote in 2010.
The Metro Council consists of twenty-six seats corresponding to districts apportioned by population throughout the city. All of the seats are for four year terms. Using a staggered process, half (thirteen) of the seats are reelected every two years. The council is chaired by a Council President, currently Jim King (D), who is elected by the council members annually. Democrats currently have a 65.4% (17 to 9 seat) majority on the council.
The Official Seal of the City of Louisville, no longer used following the formation of a consolidated city-county
Consolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
government in 2003, reflected its history and heritage in the fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
representing French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aid given during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, and the thirteen stars signify the original colonies. It was designed by legendary Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n typographer
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
Victor Hammer
Victor Hammer
Victor Karl Hammer , was an Austrian-born American painter, sculptor, printer, and typographer.-Early life and education:Hammer was born in Vienna, Austria to Karl and Maria Hammer...
. The new seal of the consolidated government retains the fleur-de-lis, but has only two stars, one representing the city and the other the county.
Kentucky's 3rd congressional district
Kentucky's 3rd congressional district
Kentucky's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky encompassing nearly the whole city of Louisville, which, since the merger of 2003, is contiguous with Jefferson County...
is roughly contiguous with Louisville Metro, and is currently represented by Rep.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
John Yarmuth
John Yarmuth
John Yarmuth is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.- Early life, education and career :...
(D), though some of the southern areas of the city are in the 2nd congressional district
Kentucky's 2nd congressional district
Kentucky's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in west central Kentucky, the district includes Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Elizabethtown. The district has not seen an incumbent defeated since 1884....
, which is represented by Brett Guthrie
Brett Guthrie
Steven Brett Guthrie is the U.S. Representative for , a Bowling Green-based district, since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Kentucky Senate.-Early life, education, and career:...
(R
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
). Democrats are the majority of registered voters in 424 of the 497 voting precincts in the 3rd congressional district
Congressional district
A congressional district is “a geographical division of a state from which one member of the House of Representatives is elected.”Congressional Districts are made up of three main components, a representative, constituents, and the specific land area that both the representative and the...
. Louisville has not elected a Republican mayor since 1965.
Legislative bodies
The first semblance of local governmentLocal government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
came shortly after the settlement began. In 1779, pioneering founders elected five men "trustees". In 1780 the town was formerly chartered and the Virginia legislature provided for local government by nine legislature-appointed trustees. When Kentucky became a state in 1792 the Kentucky legislature
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
took over the appointments.
Trustees did not have to live in Louisville until a 1795 law change. In 1797 citizens were given the privilege of electing trustees. Most important decisions still had to be made at the state level, and the trustees were administrators rather than legislators.
When Louisville became Kentucky's first city in 1828, greater autonomy came with it, in the form of a ten-member "Common Council" and a mayor. In 1851 the city was given a new charter, keeping the Common Council as a "lower house" to the Board of Aldermen, an "upper house" of the city's legislative power
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. In 1929 the larger but less prestigious Common Council was eliminated. This legislative system continued until City-County Merger.
The 26-seat Louisville Metro Council
Louisville Metro Council
The Louisville Metro Council is the city legislature of Louisville, Kentucky . It was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County and replaced the city's Board of Aldermen and the county's Fiscal Court .The Metro Council consists of...
was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
and replaced the city's Board of Aldermen and the county's Fiscal Court (three county commissioners).
Mayor
The first election under the Act of Incorporation took place on the first Monday in March 1828. All free white males who had lived in the city for at least six months prior to the election could vote, although mayors were not elected directly initially. The two top vote-getters were referred to the Governor, who selected the mayor from the two, with senate approval. The early mayor was relatively weak, acting mostly as a Justice of the PeaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, serving a one-year term, and lacking a vote on the City Council except to break ties.
A change to the charter in 1838 allowed for direct election
Direct election
Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the...
of a mayor, extended the term to three years, and prevented incumbents from running for re-election. The term was reduced to two years from 1851 to 1870, then returned to three, and was finally set at four years by the Kentucky Legislature in 1894. In the early 20th century, corruption and political machines were rampant, causing mayors of both parties to be removed from office by courts. All legislative power was given to the Board of Aldermen in 1929. Mayoral term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s were set at three in 1986.
On January 6, 2003, the city of Louisville and Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
governments merged to form one Metro Government and the new office Mayor of Louisville Metro.