KRS 83A.100: Division of city into wards or hybrid wards -- Equality of population --

Creation, alteration, or abolition of wards -- Nomination and election of

legislative body members.

(1) The legislative body of a city may by ordinance divide the city i nto wards by either

of the following methods:

(a) The city may create the same number of wards as the number of legislative

body members. Wards shall be as nearly equal in population as practicable

and their boundaries shall be fixed by the ordinance: or

(b) The city may establish a hybrid ward system for the conduct of its legislative

body elections. A city acting under this paragraph shall provide in the

ordinance that a specific number of legislative body seats shall be subject to

the ward system and tha t a specific number of legislative body seats shall be

elected at large within the entire city without representing a particular ward.

The wards created under this paragraph shall be as nearly equal in population

as practicable and their boundaries shall be fixed by ordinance.

(2) The populations of wards shall be reviewed as necessary to ensure that populations

are as nearly equal as practicable, but the populations of wards shall be reviewed

for equalization at least as often as each regular federal census.

(3) Wards may be abolished by repeal of the ordinance creating them. No creation,

alteration or abolition of wards shall occur later than the first Wednesday after the

first Monday in November of the year preceding the year in which the city

legislative offices will appear on the ballot.

(4) If a city is divided into wards, legislative body members shall be nominated and

elected in the following manner:

(a) Members shall be elected in the regular November election at large, but each

candidate shall resid e in the ward he or she seeks to represent and shall be

elected in such a manner that each ward is equally represented on the

legislative body. The names shall be presented in the election to show for

which ward each candidate is seeking election and voters shall be instructed to

"vote for one candidate in each ward." The candidate receiving the highest

number of votes cast in each ward shall be deemed to be elected from such

ward;

(b) Persons seeking the nomination of a political party for the office of le gislative

body member where a primary election is required for the political party, shall

be voted upon exclusively by the eligible voters of the ward in which the

person resides and seeks to represent;

(c) Except as provided by paragraph (d) of this subse ction, persons seeking

nomination for the office of legislative body member in a nonpartisan election

where a primary is conducted pursuant to KRS 83A.170 shall be voted upon

at large by the voters of the city, and the two (2) candidates receiving the

highest number of votes cast in each ward shall be deemed to be nominated

from that ward; and

(d) The city may provide specifically in the ordinance required by subsection (1)

of this section that persons seeking nomination for the office of legislative

body member in a nonpartisan primary conducted pursuant to KRS 83A.170

shall be voted upon exclusively by the eligible voters of the ward in which the

person resides and seeks to represent. The two (2) candidates receiving the

highest number of votes cast in eac h ward shall be deemed to be nominated

from the ward.

(5) Any city enacting or amending an ordinance to establish or abolish wards, modify

ward boundaries, or establish the manner of elections under subsection (4) of this

section shall be completed within the time specified by subsection (3) of this

section, and the ci ty shall forward a copy of the ordinance to the county clerk or

county clerks of the county or counties in which the city is located.