Delimitation Equity Project Resource Guide - IFES

Delimitation Equity Project
fact that the process is non-partisan does not mean that delimitation will have no political
effect; it simply means that any political consequences will have been unintentional.
Towards Developing International Standards for Delimitation
As the above discussion demonstrated, delimitation practices vary greatly around the
world. In fact, countries disagree on even the most fundamental of issues, such as how
independent the process can and should be from political concerns. To date, very few
international election standards have been proposed to guide the delimitation process.
Those standards that have been proposed, however, frequently make reference to at
least three fundamental principles: (1) equality of voting strength, (3) delimitation by an
independent, impartial boundary authority and (3) the delimitation of electoral boundaries
should not discriminate against any major political parties or minority groups.
Equality of Voting Strength
Electoral district boundaries should be drawn so that constituencies are relatively equal
in population (using reliable census or voter registration figures). Equi-populous
constituencies allow voters to have an equally weighted vote in the election of
representatives. The following are two standards developed to reflect this principle, one
offered by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and one by
the UN Committee on Human Rights (UNCHR):
• The delineation of constituencies in which elections are conducted must
preserve the equality of voting rights by providing approximately the same
ratio of voters to elected representatives for each district. Existing
administrative divisions or other relevant factors (including of a historical,
demographic, or geographical nature) may be reflected in election districts,
provided the design of the districts is consistent with the equality of voting
and fair representation for different groups in society. (OSCE, “Inventory of
OSCE Commitments and Other Principles for Democratic Elections”)
• The principle of one person, one vote must apply, and within the framework
of each State’s electoral system, the vote of one elector should be equal to
the vote of another. The drawing of electoral boundaries and the method of
allocating votes should not distort the distribution of voters or discriminate
against any group and should not exclude or restrict unreasonably the right of
citizens to choose their representatives freely. (UN Committee on Human
Rights, General Comment 25, “The Right to Participate in Public Affairs,
Voting Rights and the Right to Equal Access to Public Service”)
Independent, Impartial Boundary Authority
Ideally, the legal framework for boundary delimitation should provide that the persons or
institution responsible for drawing electoral boundaries be independent, non-partisan
and impartial. In addition, the recommendations of the Boundary Authority should not be
subject to modification or veto by the government or by the legislature.
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