Pulaski voters facing precinct realignment

Local News

February 3, 2010

Some areas of Somerset, Science Hill, Ferguson see biggest changes to ballot places

By BILL MARDIS, Editor Emeritus The Commonwealth Journal Wed Feb 03, 2010, 09:05 PM EST

The State Board of Elections has approved realignment of precinct boundaries that puts practically all Somerset, Science Hill and Ferguson voters in city precincts. A few precinct boundaries also were moved for convenience of county voters.

The changes, requested by the Pulaski County Board of Elections, created two new voting precincts in Somerset, increasing the total number of precincts in Somerset to 14, and in Pulaski County to 59.

Newly created Somerset 3C takes in Saddlebrook subdivision. Voters in this area along Ky. 1247 will ballot at the YMCA. They formerly voted in Vaught No. 43 at Hal Rogers Fire Training Center.

Voters in Village Green, located off Rush Branch Road, will now vote in newly created Somerset 4C at Meece Middle School. They formerly voted at Gilliland No. 40 at Eagle Heights Church and at Rush Branch No. 14 at Haynes Knob Fire Station.

Both Somerset 3C and 4C are relatively small precincts. Somerset No. 3C has 88 registered voters and Somerset No. 4C has 86 voters.

Also, to bring all city voters to city precincts, voters along East Somerset Church Road and Lisa Way were moved from Caney Fork No. 13 to Somerset 4B. Voting place in 4B is Meece Middle School. Total number of voters in Somerset 4B increased from 1,231 to 1,327.

Mark Vaught, member of the Pulaski County Board of Elections, said precinct realignments put practically all Somerset voters in city precincts. He said there are a couple of small areas that could not be moved because by law a precinct boundary cannot cross a magisterial or legislative district line. The realignments also do not change ward boundaries in Somerset.

Pulaski County Clerk Ralph Troxtell has said since he took office three years ago that putting city voters in city precincts takes the burden off precinct officers who have to determine if a voter in a county precinct is eligible to vote in a city election.

In Science Hill, all city voters are now in Science Hill (City) No. 22 and will vote at the Science Hill Fire Station. Voters who live outside the Science Hill corporate limits and formerly voted in Science Hill No. 22 will now vote in Science Hill (County) No. 23 at Science Hill Elementary School.

The precinct changes at Science Hill reduced the number of voters in Science Hill No. 22 from 801 to 518. The number of voters in Science Hill No. 23 increased from 552 to 835.

Ferguson No. 8 precinct now includes only city voters in Ferguson. Vaught said voters living between the city limits of Ferguson and Rush Branch Road and north of Ky. 914 were moved to Gilliland No. 40. Ferguson voters south of Ky. 914 were moved to Parker No. 9. Total number of voters in Ferguson No. 8 was reduced from 766 to 636.

The boundary realignments increased the number of registered voters in Parker No. 9 from 524 to 571; reduced the number of voters in Rush Branch No. 14 from 548 to 397; reduced the number of voters in Vaught No. 43 from 1,916 to 1,828; and reduced the number of voters in Mark No. 30 from 838 to 828.

Troxtell, chair of the county board of elections, said Burnside and Eubank voters could not be brought into respective city precincts because Eubank straddles the Pulaski-Lincoln county line, and Burnside extends along Lake Cumberland to the Nancy community at Lee’s Ford Resort Marina.

Another change moved some voters from Colo No. 35 and Rush Branch No. 14 into Gilliland No. 40 where they will vote at Eagle Heights Church. Gilliland’s precinct boundary was realigned to include the Blaze Valley community and border along Rush Branch (creek). Total registered voters in Gilliland increased from 982 to 1,372. Troxtell and Vaught said these voters were moved for their convenience because some had to travel considerable distances to ballot at Haynes Knob Fire Department or White Lily Fire Department.

Troxtell and Vaught both emphasized that realigned precinct boundaries do not cross magisterial district lines and will not affect the 51 candidates for seats on Pulaski Fiscal Court from the county’s five magisterial districts. Troxtell and Vaught pointed out that by law a precinct boundary cannot cross a magisterial district line and magisterial districts cannot be realigned until after the 2010 federal census. Total number of voters in each of the five magisterial districts is the same as before, they assured.

All voters affected by any precinct boundary changes will be notified by mail prior to the May 18 primary elections, Troxtell said.

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