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Supporting the Redistricting Process

In many countries, redistricting is conducted by special bodies that are set-up particularly for a specific redistricting exercise, and, at the end of their mandate, are disbanded; some countries might have permanent redistricting bodies.  In either case, the permanent electoral management body might be asked to support and lend assistance to the appropriate redistricting body or even to conduct the redistricting exercise itself. Planning for the redistricting exercise should include three broad phases:

  1. Planning and preparation before the redistricting exercise begins
  2. Support to the redistricting process once it is underway, and
  3. Returning to election readiness

In Canada, 10 three-member commissions, one for each province, are established to conduct the redistricting exercise (popularly known as redistribution). Because these are temporary bodies, federally constituted at the beginning of each redistribution exercise once every ten years following the decennial census, the members have little or no experience working within a government structure. To help them manage the administration side of the exercise, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (Elections Canada) provides legal, technical, financial and administrative support to the independent commissions responsible for the periodic process of readjusting federal electoral boundaries, to ensure that representation conforms to the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act.

The following tables lists the major activities undertaken by Elections Canada before, during and after the redistribution process

PHASE 1: Planning and Preparation

Up to two years before the independent commissions are established to conduct the redistribution, Elections Canada sectors/divisions begin the planning of Redistribution activities and complete the development of tools and the implementation of infrastructure to support Phase 2 (the independent commissions) of the program. Major activities by sector/division lead follow:

 

Division/Sector

Activities

Redistribution Directorate (this directorate is re-established every ten years to plan for the 3 broad phases of the redistribution exercise.

Staffing of key positions (within Elections Canada)

 

Electoral Geography

Development and implementation of Redistribution tools:

Commission Redistricting Tool (CRT – a GIS application developed by Elections Canada for boundary delimitation)

Data and Mapping Tools (DMT - applications developed to manipulate data, print reports and maps)

Public Web Tools (PWT - offers the public web mapping capabilities to respond to the commission’s proposals in preparation for the hearings.

 

Prepare for the following:

Provide geography specialists to support Commissions in the field

Providing geography specialists to assist committee of the House of Commons in its review of objections from Members of Parliament

Production of all geography products requested by legislation (gazetted proposals, report, newspaper and Web map)

Information Technology (IT)

Support for GIS Technology

Support for Redistribution website development

Support for Field application deployment

Policy, Planning and Public Affairs (PPPA)

Development of a global communication strategy including Internet strategy

Development of communication plans for each Commission

Design and construction of Redistribution website

Provision of translation, editing, and graphic design services

Human Resources

Developing job descriptions and staffing key Redistribution positions

Legal Services

Review of past recommendations for amending redistricting legislation

Impact evaluation of potential modifications of legislation and Representation formula on the Redistribution process

 

PHASE 2: Support of the redistricting process

Elections Canada supports the redistricting commissions in every stage of their operations.  Major activities and deliverables by sector/division lead follow:

Division/Sector

Activities

Redistribution Directorate

Apply representation formula

Organize public sittings

Tabling of reports with the Speaker

Completion of reports following public sittings. Reports referred back to commissions for reconsideration (as necessary)

Preparation of draft representation order

Overseeing Proclamation of draft representation order

Electoral Geography

Provide geography specialists to support Commissions in the field

Providing geography specialists to assist committee of the House of Commons

Production of all geography products requested by EBRA (gazetted proposals, report, newspaper and Web map)

Information Technology (IT)

On-going support for Redistribution activities (in the field and at Headquarters)

Planning (business requirements, design) for adapting corporate systems in managing two sets of electoral districts (in the transition period before the new boundaries become effective).

Policy, Planning and Public Affairs (PPPA)

Publication of Representation formula results in Canada Gazette

Gazette proclamation establishing commissions, naming each member

Publication of commissions’ proposals

Publication of notices for public sittings through public advertisements

Gazetting representation order and proclamation

 

Note: this phase of redistribution places the heaviest demand on the services provided by Electoral Geography and by Policy, Planning and Public Affairs.  Most of the milestones noted above are governed by legislated (EBRA) timeframes and must be completed on schedule.  The services need to be provided to each of the ten commissions, at times concurrently, at times separately but experience has shown that providing the services to the commissions sequentially is not feasible.

PHASE 3: Return to Readiness

Following proclamation of the draft representation order, there is a minimum 7-month period prescribed by the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act before the representation order comes into force. This period enables Elections Canada to return to a state of readiness under the new electoral boundaries. (It also enables political parties to adjust their internal operations and organizational structure to reflect the new boundaries/districts.)  Any general election called before the 7 month period has passed is conducted under the current boundaries. Any general election called after the 7 month period has passed is conducted under the new boundaries.  Any by-election called before the new boundaries come into effect is conducted under the current boundaries.

Two concurrent activities dominate return to readiness across all EC sectors:

  1. Maintain a state of readiness under the current electoral districts; and
  2. Establish and maintain a state of readiness under the new electoral districts.

Major activities and deliverables by sector/division lead follow:

Division/Sector

Activities

Electoral Geography

Maintain current Electoral District (ED) and Polling District (PD) boundaries

Revise polling divisions to respect new ED boundaries

Prepare new maps at national, provincial, municipal and ED levels and PD maps

Transpose votes of previous general election to new boundaries

National Register of Electors (NROE)

Adjust Corporate Address Register

Prepare two releases (current and new boundaries)

Field Readiness and Management (FREM)

Hiring of New Returning Officers

Training of Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, Automation Co-ordinators,
 and Support Network staff

Revise Electoral Event Systems (all systems must be revised to the new boundaries)

Distribution Centre to prepare material/supplies for new districts

Note: two full sets of Returning Officers  (current and new) and all other field election staff may be required

Information Technology (IT)

Adjust Corporate Data Base (CDB) to maintain current structure and new required structure

Policy, Planning and Public Affairs (PPPA)

Review of Enquiries Unit (Manual and tools) and WEB tools and content (structure, tools, and all information)

Review of all Backgrounders, Information Kits,  Exploring Canada’s Electoral System, Advertising program and Media buying strategy

Finance

Establish accounts for new electoral districts

 

As can be seen, the actual setting of new boundaries is just a small part of the redistricting exercise. Planning for, carrying out, and implementing the new boundaries requires a major effort on behalf of the Elections Management Body (Elections Canada) and requires close coordination both within the various sections of Elections Canada and with the external, independent boundary delimitation commissions.