LOUISVILLE — Suburbanites will likely have more political clout when a new council takes control of Greater Louisville in 2003 under the city's proposed districts.

        City officials got their first look Friday at a map created by University of Louisville geography professor Bill Dakan. The map of the 26 new council seats for the merged government shows that the county's political landscape is about to change.

        The Courier-Journal reported in Saturday's editions that African-Americans could lose representation in local government; Democrats may no longer dominate; and four aldermen could be forced out of public office.

        Half of the new districts include at least part of the city of Louisville, but only nine will be made up predominantly of city residents.

        Two districts have more Republicans than Democrats. But in six districts, Republicans make up 40 percent or more of the registered voters.

        Five districts have a black majority. If African-Americans won all five seats and no others, they would have 19.2 percent of the council. They now hold one-third of the 12 aldermanic seats and one of four seats on Fiscal Court.

        Civil-rights activists complained that two of the districts have only a slim majority of blacks, and they may not make up a majority of registered voters or of the voting-age population. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether the city-county merger violates the Voting Rights Act.

        Mr. Dakan will present his final version of the map to Fiscal Court on July 10. Fiscal Court then must approve the map, without changes, within 30 days.

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