Redistribution (election)

Redistribution (in many Commonwealth countries), called redistricting in the United States, is the process of changing of political borders. This often means changing electoral district (constituency) boundaries, usually in response to periodic census results. This takes place by law or constitution at least every decade in most representative democracy systems using first-past-the-post or similar electoral systems to prevent geographic malapportionment.

Australia

In Australia, redistributions are carried out by independent and non-partisan commissioners in the Commonwealth and each state or territory. The various electoral acts require the population of each seat to be equal with certain strictly limited variations.

Canada

See: Historical federal electoral districts of Canada

Ireland

Elections to Dáil Éireann and to councils and local authorities are by single transferable vote (STV), using geographic constituencies which return three or more representatives, the number being proportional to population. Boundary revisions may involve changing the number of constituencies, reapportioning the number of representatives returned from them, or adjusting their borders. For example, the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2005 replaced the five-seat Meath constituency with two three-seat constituencies, Meath East and Meath West, both of which also acquired territory previously in other constituencies. [cite web |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2005/en/act/pub/0016/print.html |title=Electoral (Amendment) Act 2005 |publisher=Attorney General of Ireland |accessdate=2008-10-09 |date=2005-07-09 ]

Redistribution is done by the Oireachtas acting on the advice of the Constituency Commission, an independent body established by the 1997 Electoral Act. Redistribution prior to 1977 was done without independent input and subject to the partisan concerns of the government of the day. [cite web |url=http://www.bc-ebc.ca/files/pdf/Final_STV_map_making_reports_arc.doc |title=Electoral Boundary Determination in Single Transferable Vote Electoral Systems: the case of Ireland and Scotland |first=R. K. |last=Carty |date=October 2006 |publisher=British Columbia Electoral Boundaries Commission |accessdate=2008-10-09 ]

outh Africa

In South Africa, redistricting is carried out by the Municipal Demarcation Board.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, four Boundary Commissions (one each for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) are responsible for reviewing the boundaries of Parliamentary constituencies, within guidelines set by Parliament.

United States

In the United States, each state has its own standards for creating Congressional and legislative districts.

ee also

* Apportionment
* Gerrymandering

References

External links

* [http://www.aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/bd A guide to Boundary Delimitation] a series of articles from the [http://www.aceproject.org.uk ACE Project]
* [http://www.aceproject.org/main/english/bd/bdy_us.htm Reapportionment and Redistricting in the U.S.] — from the [http://www.aceproject.org ACE Project]
* [http://www.idea.int/publications/ies/upload/4.%20Boundary%20delimitation,%20districting%20or%20defining%20boundaries%20of%20electoral%20units.pdf Boundary Delimitation in the Legal Framework of Elections] — from the [http://www.idea.int International IDEA] publication [http://www.idea.int/publications/ies/ International Electoral Standards: Guidelines for reviewing the legal framework of elections]
* Redistribution Overview from the Australian Electoral Commission
* [http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/congApp.html U.S. House of Representatives — District apportionment 1790 to 2000]