By Kenny Colston
Frankfort, KY – A Franklin Circuit Court judge has pushed back the filling deadline for state legislative candidates.
In response to a lawsuit claiming the new redistricting maps are unconstitutional, Judge Phillip Shepard issued a restraining order moving the deadline back one week. Shepard also set a hearing on the constitutionality argument for Monday morning.
Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes says Shepard s order allows candidates to continue to file for new districts while the court works out the legal arguments. But the ruling creates an interesting mix when it comes to filing deadline for various offices.
Those that seek to file for House and Senate up until 4:30 p.m. on February 7th, Grimes says. The filing deadline as it relates to Congressional races, pursurant to passage of House Bill 2 yesterday, which was signed by the governor, remains Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. And today, the filing deadline as it relates to all other offices remains the same.
House Republican Leader Jeff Hoover a plaintiff in the case praised the order, saying he thinks the judge has major questions on the new maps.
Democrat House Speaker Greg Stumbo, who defends the map, declined to comment.