Louisville, Kentucky

==Government==

[[File:Louisville City Hall, HABS KY-143-9.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Louisville City Hall]] in [[Downtown Louisville|downtown]], built 1870–1873, is a blend of [[Italianate]] styles characteristic of [[Neo-Renaissance]].]]
{{Main|Government of Louisville, Kentucky}}
{{See also|List of mayors of Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville Metro Council|Government of Kentucky}}

Until 2015, Louisville was one of two cities in Kentucky designated by the state as [[List of cities in Kentucky#Classes|first-class]] (along with [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], the state's second-largest).{{efn|Under Kentucky's current classification scheme, which went into effect on January 1, 2015, cities with a mayor–alderman form of government are first-class, with the "home rule class" covering all other forms. This replaced a system in which cities were divided into six classes, nominally by population.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thetimestribune.com/news/local_news/corbin-other-tri-county-cities-now-in-home-rule-class/article_9b272838-81d5-59ee-9b4e-14cc01449d94.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141111180956/http://www.thetimestribune.com/news/local_news/corbin-other-tri-county-cities-now-in-home-rule-class/article_9b272838-81d5-59ee-9b4e-14cc01449d94.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |title=Corbin, other Tri-County cities now in Home Rule Class |first=Jeff |last=Noble |newspaper=[[The Times-Tribune (Corbin)|The Times-Tribune]] |location=[[Corbin, Kentucky|Corbin, KY]] |date=April 30, 2014 |access-date=November 11, 2014 }}</ref>}} Since January 6, 2003, Louisville has [[consolidated city-county|merged its government]] with that of Jefferson County, forming [[wikt:coterminous|coterminous]] borders.<ref name="Louisville Metro Consolidation"/> Louisville was the second and only other city in the state to merge with its county. ([[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]] had merged with [[Fayette County, Kentucky|Fayette County]] in 1974.)

Louisville Metro is governed by an executive called the [[List of mayors of Louisville, Kentucky|Metro Mayor]] and a [[city council|city legislature]] called the [[Louisville Metro Council|Metro Council]]. The third and current Metro Mayor is [[Craig Greenberg]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]), who entered office on January 3, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/kentucky/2022/11/08/craig-greenberg-bill-dieruf-louisville-mayor-kentucky-election-2022/69509589007/ |title=Louisville mayor 2022 election: Craig Greenberg beats Bill Dieruf |publisher=Courier-journal.com |date= |accessdate=November 11, 2022 |archive-date=November 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106013408/https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/kentucky/2022/11/08/craig-greenberg-bill-dieruf-louisville-mayor-kentucky-election-2022/69509589007/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Metro Council consists of 26 seats representing districts apportioned by population throughout the city and county. The residents of the semi-independent municipalities within Louisville Metro are apportioned to districts along with all other county residents. Half (13) of the seats come up for reelection every two years. The council is chaired by a [[Louisville Metro Council President|Council President]], currently David Yates (D), who is elected by the council members annually. Democrats currently have a 17-to-9 majority.

Before merger, under the [[Kentucky Constitution]] and statutory law Louisville was designated as a [[List of cities in Kentucky#Classes|first-class]] city in regard to local laws affecting public safety, alcohol beverage control, revenue options, and various other matters; as of 2014, it is the only such designated city in the state.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.klc.org/UserFiles/TheBasics2011_Sept(2).pdf |title=KLC Research Report: The Basics of Kentucky Cities |access-date=August 4, 2012 |date=September 2011 |publisher=Kentucky League of Cities |archive-date=August 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809075108/http://www.klc.org/UserFiles/TheBasics2011_Sept(2).pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Official Seal of the City of Louisville, no longer used following the merger, reflected its history and heritage in the [[fleur-de-lis]] representing French aid given during the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] and the thirteen stars signifying the original colonies. The new [[Seal of Louisville, Kentucky|Seal of Louisville Metro]] retains the fleur-de-lis, but has only two stars, one representing the city and the other the county.

[[Kentucky's 3rd congressional district]] encompasses most of Louisville Metro, and is represented by [[United States House of Representatives|Rep.]] [[Morgan McGarvey]] (D). Far eastern portions of the county are part of the [[Kentucky's 4th congressional district|4th congressional district]], which is represented by [[Thomas Massie]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/KY/3 |title=Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District—Representatives & District Map |access-date=August 19, 2014 |publisher=GovTrack.us |archive-date=August 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820185512/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/KY/3 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/KY/4 |title=Kentucky's 4th Congressional District—Representatives & District Map |access-date=August 19, 2014 |publisher=GovTrack.us |archive-date=August 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820115918/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/KY/4 |url-status=live }}</ref>