Districting

Districting involves determining the number, size and boundaries of electoral districts. A district is a voting area with a certain number of seats up for election. To respect the principle of one person, one vote, representation from each district needs to be relatively equal. When districting is performed by a partisan body, it may become a political tool for marginalizing specific groups or ensuring that particular candidates or parties are elected. Districting should be performed regularly to ensure equal representation, taking into account population shifts. [1]

One Person, One Vote

Representation from each district needs to be approximately equal in terms of the ratio of seats to voters. This ensures that all voters, regardless of place of residence, are represented equally.

However, the context should be considered since a number of countries recognize that population equality is not the only important criterion for representation. Other factors may be considered to guarantee not only equal but also effective representation—for example, an electoral district’s cultural identity, history and geography (e.g., containing sparsely populated or isolated regions), and the presence of minorities.

These factors may conflict with the one person, one vote principle. As a solution, many countries prescribe the acceptable deviation from absolute equality. Some countries also feel that public participation in districting is important. In Canada, for example, readjustments to electoral boundaries are preceded by a series of public hearings giving voters the opportunity to express their views, thereby making the process as fair as possible.[2]

Partisan Influences

An independent body or the electoral administrators may be given responsibility for districting, but in some countries it is a task for partisan majorities in the legislature. This permits politicians to set boundaries for partisan benefit, drawing the lines so that opposition support is concentrated in a few districts and the ruling party maintains an advantage in other districts. Boundaries may also be manipulated by scattering support for the opposition across a number of electoral districts.

Drawing the lines to secure partisan advantage is often referred to as “gerrymandering”, after the name of a former governor of Massachusetts (US), Elbridge Gerry, who formed an election district which had a shape said to resemble a salamander. It primarily occurs in electoral systems having single-member constituencies (also referred to as “single-mandate districts”, or SMDs). In countries in democratic transition, gerrymandering often takes the form of allocating more seats to regions where the incumbent party has strong support. This was the case in Kenya in 1997 and Nigeria in 1999.[3]

Some countries shelter the districting process from political interference to prevent gerrymandering. In Canada, completely independent commissions readjust electoral boundaries. Each province has its own three-member commission: the chief justice of the province names a judge to head the commission, and the Speaker of the House of Commons appoints the other two members.[4] In New Zealand, readjustments are made by an independent statutory agency known as the Representation Commission, composed of the Government Statistician, the Surveyor-General and the Chief Electoral Officer.

Readjusting Electoral Boundaries

Populations shift over time. Rural residents move to urban areas and the demographics of a country change. Electoral boundaries need to be regularly reviewed to safeguard election integrity and the principle of one person, one vote. To take such changes into consideration without creating excessive administrative burdens, redistricting should be undertaken at reasonable intervals—for example, every 5 to 10 years.

The timing of redistricting may affect the outcome of an election. For governments or politicians inclined toward gerrymandering, the ideal moment to redistrict is immediately before an election.