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Louisville Metro Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
| Founded | January 1, 2003 (2003-01-01) |
| Preceded by | Louisville Board of Alderman and Jefferson County Fiscal Court |
New session started | January 9, 2025 |
| Leadership | |
President | Brent Ackerson (D) since January 9, 2025 |
Majority Caucus Leader/President Pro-Tempore | Tammy Hawkins (D) since January 9, 2025 |
Minority Caucus Leader | Anthony Piagentini (R) since January 3, 2023 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 26 members |
 | |
Political groups | Majority (13)
Minority (13)
|
Length of term | Four years |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | November 5, 2024 |
Next election | November 3, 2026 |
| Redistricting | 2020 |
| Meeting place | |
| Louisville City Hall | |
| Website | |
| louisvilleky | |
| Rules | |
| louisvilleky | |
TheLouisville Metro Council is thecity council ofLouisville, Kentucky (Louisville Metro). It was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville withJefferson County and replaced the city'sBoard of Aldermen and the county'sFiscal Court (three county commissioners).Louisville City Hall houses the offices and chambers of the council.
Louisville's Metro Council consists of twenty-six seats corresponding to districts apportioned by population throughout Jefferson County. Although all cities in Jefferson County, apart from Louisville, retained their status after the merger, their residents are represented on Metro Council and vote alongside other county residents. The seats come up for reelection every four years, using a staggered process so that only half of the seats are up every two years.
Since the council's inception, Democrats have maintained a majority in the chamber, currently with thirteen members (50%). Democrats gained two seats in the 2010 election, gained another two seats in the 2018 midterms, lost two seats in the 2022 election, and 4 in the2024 election yet still maintained a majority. On January 29, 2025Democrat Paula McCraney announced she was leaving the party and becoming anIndependent.[1]
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The first semblance oflocal government came shortly after the settlement began. This was originally considered part of Virginia. In 1779, pioneering founders elected five men as "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, theKentucky legislature took over the appointments.
Trustees did not have to live in Louisville until a 1795 law change. In 1797 citizens were given home rule and the privilege of electing trustees. Most important decisions were made at the state level, and the trustees were administrators rather than legislators.
When Louisville was incorporated as Kentucky's first city in 1828, it gained greater autonomy. A ten-member "Common Council" was founded, to be headed by a mayor. In 1851 the city was given a new charter, keeping the Common Council as a "lower house" to theBoard of Aldermen, an "upper house" of the city'slegislative 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 withJefferson County. It replaced both the city'sBoard of Aldermen and the county'sFiscal Court (three county commissioners).
TheLouisville Metro Council President is the presiding officer of the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Council. The President is elected annually by a majority vote of the entire council at the council's first meeting in January. Currently the President is Brent Ackerson (D), who was elected on January 9, 2025.[2]
Council Presidents
†Died in office
In 2006, two controversial ordinances were passed: a smoking ban in and a restrictive animal control ordinance.[3]
In 2016, Louisville's Metro Council was the first among several cities in the United States to approve aOne Touch Make Ready ordinance for allowing new communications service providers to alter/relocate existing utility pole attachments owned by third party communications service providers.[4] Louisville's Metro Council faced multiple lawsuits following its approval of the ordinance.[5]
On June 10, 2020, the Metro Council unanimously approved ″Breonna's Law″ banningno-knock search warrants after the 26-year-old emergency room technician was killed byLouisville police on March 13, and the city erupted in violent protests on May 28.[6] Police Chief Steve Conrad was fired on June 1 after the fatal shooting of black business ownerDavid McAtee.[7]
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