The Clinton County Magisterial Reapportionment Plan and Mapping has officially been approved, following second reading on the ordinance by fiscal court last week. However, the tough work of actually implementing and redrawing the lines–not to mention changing voter locations for many residents–is yet to come.

By federal law, each county’s magisterial districts must be realigned (if necessary) after each 10-year U.S. Census report. All of the districts must conform to within 10 percent per district based on population only. However, when districts have to be realigned, it affects registered voters, who in some cases, have to be moved from one magisterial district to another, thus changing their voting locations.

Clinton Fiscal Court appointed a reapportionment committee, overseen by County Clerk Jim Elmore, to draw up the reapportionment plan and mapping of the districts and that report was presented in late summer and approved by the court.

Unfortunately, there was enough disparity in population within the six magisterial districts to warrant changes of some district boundaries–taking away some residents from some particular districts, thus adding residents to other districts to come within the 10 percent census requirement.

The range per magisterial district, for citizens residing in the district, was between 1,627 to 1,798.

The reapportionment plan in place will have no more than a 96 resident difference between the highest populated district and the lowest populated.

County Clerk Jim Elmore and Deputy Clerk Shelia Booher says, however, that the real work of laying out the boundary lines and switching registered voters who will be in a new district–including determining who those voters will be and giving them notification–is still to come and will take a lot of time and work.

The new district realignment will not affect any voters in the upcoming general election next month, as Elmore noted that local counties can’t proceed with their plans until the state of Kentucky actually acts on the redistricting itself. That includes congressional, and state (representative and senate) district realignment.

It isn’t known when the legislature will actually take up the redistricting issue.

The new boundary lines for Clinton County, however, is now in place and will be implemented sometime in the future and will affect several local resident’s voter location status, insofar as which magisterial district they will be voting in on election day.

The following is a listing of each Magisterial District description that will eventually be implemented under the Reapportionment Plan and a map of the new district boundaries is also published this week.

* Magisterial District One (currently represented by Phillip Parrigin): Population-1,742.

Beginning at U.S. 127 and KY 558 thence east to 3700 feet east of KY 350 turning southwest to Smith Creek following the creek south thence northwest to George Sloan Road thence southwest to U.S. 127 230 feet south of Oak Street following U.S. 127 north to Virginia Ave. thence northwest 8200 feet turning north for 9500 feet thence east to the Ky 558/U.S. 127 intersection.

* Magisterial District Two (currently represented by Patty Guinn). Population-1,749.

Beginning at the Clinton County/Tennessee state line at KY 1076 thence east and north along the county line to near Hancock Creek thence meandering to 140 feet south of KY 2277 thence southwest to Marlow Cartwright Road 2400 feet south of KY 558 then traveling westerly then south on Upchurch Road to KY 2063 thence due south one mile thence east to 3700 feet east of KY 350 turning southwest to Smith Creek following the creek south thence turning due west to Concord Road then southwest to KY 969 2800 feet east of U.S. 127 thence turning southeast to the Clinton County/Tennessee state line at KY 1076.

* Magisterial District Three (currently represented by Willard Johnson). Population-1,753.

Beginning at U.S. 127 and KY 558 thence east 10,350 feet turning due north to Upchurch Road following to 500 feet past roads end thence east to Marlow Cartwright Road thence northeast to Hancock Creek meandering along the Clinton-Wayne County line then following north and west to Lake Cumberland, traveling southwest along the center of the lake continuing in a straight line to the U.S. 127/KY 734 intersection following U.S. 127 south to KY 90 thence west to KY 639 following south for 290 feet thence turning southeast to the beginning point at U.S. 127/KY 558.

* Magisterial District Four (currently represented by Ricky Craig). Population-1,657.

Beginning at the Clinton-Russell County line at Lake Cumberland, traveling southwest along the center of the lake continuing in a straight line to the U.S. 127/KY 734 intersection following U.S. 127 south to KY 90 thence west to KY 639 following south for 2920 feet thence turning southeast 5287 feet thence turning south to Copeland Road following Old Burkesville Road following west to the KY 639/Lakewood Estates intersection thence traveling due west to Howards Creek following to Dale Hollow Lake then south to the Clinton County/Tennessee state line following west and north to the beginning point.

* Magisterial District Five (currently represented by Charlotte Bernard). Population- 1,662.

Beginning at the Clinton County/Tennessee state line at KY 1576 traveling north to a point 680 feet past Hoots Road thence traveling north by northeast to Churntop Branch following the meanderings then traveling northwest to a point 380 feet north of Robert Page Road paralleling the road then dropping south to Robert Page Road and following south to KY 1576 following north to KY 738 following north to Fairgrounds Road following north to the Albany City Limits following north to KY 553 thence traveling west to Dickens School Road following north to Old Burkesville Road to the KY 639/Lakewood Estates intersection thence traveling due west to Howards Creek following to Dale Hollow Lake then south to the Clinton County/Tennessee state line thence east to the beginning point.

* Magisterial District Six (currently represented by Micky Riddle). Population-1,711.

Beginning at the Clinton County/Tennessee state line at KY 1576 traveling north to a point 680 feet past Hoots Road thence traveling north by northeast to Churntop Branch following the meanderings then traveling northwest to a point 380 feet north of Robert Page Road paralleling the road then dropping south to Robert Page Road and following south to KY 1576 following north to KY 738 following north to Fairgrounds Road following north to the Albany City Limits following north to KY 553 thence traveling west to Dickens School Road following north to Old Burkesville Road following east thence north on Copeland Road to KY 553 continuing north for 6410 feet then turning southeast to the U.S. 127/KY 558 intersection following U.S. 127 south to the U.S. 127 split following the northbound lane south to 230 feet south of Oak Street thence traveling northeast to George Sloan Road thence southeast to Smith Creek following the creek south thence turning due west to Concord Road then southwest to KY 969 2800 feet east of U.S. 127 thence turning southeast to the Clinton County/Tennessee state line at KY 1076 then following the county line west to the beginning point.