Voter Education Glossary
Understanding Louisville Metro Government & Policy
This comprehensive glossary explains 375 terms related to Louisville Metro government, policy, and civic engagement. Each term includes Louisville-specific context and explains why it matters to you as a voter.
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Park Equity
Ensuring all residents have equal access to quality parks and recreation facilities regardless of neighborhood income, race, or geography. Park […]
Read Full Definition → Parking Minimums
Zoning requirements mandating minimum parking spaces for developments (e.g., 2 spaces per apartment). Increases costs, wastes land, encourages driving, and […]
Read Full Definition → Participatory Budgeting
Democratic process where residents directly vote on how to spend a portion of the public budget. YOU attend community meetings, […]
Read Full Definition → Pattern or Practice Investigation
A federal civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice examining whether a police department engages in systemic unconstitutional […]
Read Full Definition → Pay Equity
Principle that people should receive equal pay for work of equal value, regardless of gender. Louisville women currently earn 82 […]
Read Full Definition → Pedestrian Infrastructure
Facilities enabling safe walking: sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian signals, curb ramps, street lighting, and benches. Basic requirement for walkable neighborhoods but […]
Read Full Definition → Pension Contributions
Money the city pays into retirement funds for employees. Required by law and contract. Like matching your 401(k), but for […]
Read Full Definition → Performance-Based Compensation
Additional pay or bonuses based on meeting specific goals or demonstrating excellence. Part of comprehensive employee compensation beyond base salary […]
Read Full Definition → Permanent Supportive Housing
Affordable housing combined with supportive services (mental health, addiction treatment, case management) for people experiencing chronic homelessness or disabilities. Housing […]
Read Full Definition → Personnel Costs
Salaries, benefits, and payroll taxes for city employees. Usually 60-70% of most department budgets. This includes health insurance, retirement contributions, […]
Read Full Definition → Phased Implementation
Rolling out programs gradually over multiple years rather than all at once. Example: Building 12 mini substations in Year 1, […]
Read Full Definition → Pilot Program
Small-scale test of a program before full implementation. Some programs may pilot in one district before expanding citywide.
Read Full Definition → Planning Commission
A board that reviews proposed developments, zoning changes, and land use plans to ensure they align with Louisville’s Comprehensive Plan. […]
Read Full Definition → Playground
Outdoor recreation areas for children featuring equipment like swings, slides, climbing structures, and play areas. Quality playgrounds provide age-appropriate equipment, […]
Read Full Definition → Plea Bargain
An agreement where a defendant pleads guilty to reduced charges or receives a lighter sentence recommendation in exchange for avoiding […]
Read Full Definition → Police Accountability
Mechanisms ensuring law enforcement officers and departments are held responsible for their actions, including civilian oversight, transparent data, and consequences […]
Read Full Definition → Police Accountability Board
A civilian oversight body with authority to review police misconduct complaints, investigate officers, and recommend discipline. Louisville currently lacks a […]
Read Full Definition → Police Union
The labor organization representing police officers in contract negotiations, grievances, and disciplinary appeals. Louisville’s Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is […]
Read Full Definition → Political Action Committee (PAC)
An organization that collects political contributions from members and donates them to campaigns or causes. PACs must register with the […]
Read Full Definition → Poll Worker
A trained local citizen who staffs polling locations on Election Day and during early voting, checking voter registrations, providing ballots, […]
Read Full Definition → Polling Location
The physical place where voters in a precinct cast their ballots—typically schools, community centers, churches, or fire stations. In Jefferson […]
Read Full Definition → Position Reassignment
Moving employees to different jobs within government without layoffs. Example: Some administrative staff reassigned to wellness centers or community programs. […]
Read Full Definition → Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)
A metric measuring how efficiently a data center uses electricity, calculated by dividing total facility energy use by energy used […]
Read Full Definition → Pre-K Expansion
Increasing access to quality preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-old children, particularly in low-income neighborhoods. Research shows pre-K yields $7 […]
Read Full Definition → Pre-Trial Detention
Holding someone in jail before their trial. Most people in Louisville Metro Corrections are pre-trial, not convicted criminals.
Read Full Definition → Precinct
A geographic area within Louisville where voters cast ballots at the same polling location. Jefferson County has approximately 380 precincts, […]
Read Full Definition → Pretrial Detention
Jailing criminal defendants before trial—before conviction, while presumed innocent. Pretrial detention is supposed to prevent flight risk or danger to […]
Read Full Definition → Pretrial Services
An agency that evaluates arrested people for release before trial, monitors compliance with release conditions, and connects defendants to services […]
Read Full Definition → Prevailing Wage
Hourly wage, benefits, and overtime paid to majority of workers in a particular occupation and area. Federal and some state […]
Read Full Definition → Prevention ROI
Return on investment from preventive programs – measuring how much money is saved in healthcare, criminal justice, and social costs […]
Read Full Definition → Prevention-First Approach
Investing in programs that prevent problems (crime, health crises, fires) before they happen, rather than only responding after problems occur. […]
Read Full Definition → Preventive Care
Healthcare that prevents disease and identifies problems early (screenings, vaccinations, health education). Saves money long-term.
Read Full Definition → Primary Care
Basic healthcare (checkups, common illnesses, chronic disease management). Wellness centers provide this through nurse practitioners.
Read Full Definition → Primary Election
An election where voters choose their party’s candidate who will run in the general election. In Kentucky, primaries are ‘closed,’ […]
Read Full Definition → Procedural Justice
The principle that people evaluate police legitimacy based on how they’re treated (fairness, respect, voice, neutrality) not just outcomes. When […]
Read Full Definition → Project Labor Agreement (PLA)
Pre-hire collective bargaining agreement between construction contractors and unions establishing wages, benefits, work rules, and dispute resolution for large projects. […]
Read Full Definition → Property Tax
Annual tax on real estate based on assessed property value. Major source of city revenue. If you own property in […]
Read Full Definition → Protected Bike Lane
Bike lanes physically separated from traffic by planters, posts, curbs, or parked cars. Dramatically safer than painted lanes, encouraging cycling […]
Read Full Definition → Provisional Ballot
A special ballot given to voters whose eligibility is unclear on Election Day (wrong precinct, name not in poll book, […]
Read Full Definition → Public Defender
A government-employed lawyer who represents people charged with crimes who cannot afford private attorneys. The Constitution guarantees everyone the right […]
Read Full Definition → Public Hearing
A formal meeting where citizens can speak directly to Metro Council or other government boards about proposed legislation, developments, or […]
Read Full Definition → Public Housing
Government-owned rental housing for low-income residents, operated by local housing authorities. Federally funded but chronically underfunded, leading to deteriorating conditions […]
Read Full Definition → Public Reporting
Regular reports to citizens on program progress and budget status. Quarterly reports proposed.
Read Full Definition → Public Safety Committee
The Metro Council committee overseeing police, fire, emergency services, and corrections. This committee reviews LMPD policies, approves contracts for public […]
Read Full Definition → Public Works Department
The government agency responsible for maintaining and building public infrastructure including roads, bridges, sidewalks, traffic signals, storm sewers, street lighting, […]
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