Constituency Delimitation in Nigeria
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Delimitation Equity Project Delimitation Delimitation Equity Project Resource Guide Lead Writer Lisa Handley Resource Guide Writers Jeremy Grace Peter Schrott Horacio Boneo Ron Johnston Michael Maley Alan McRobie Charles Pattie David Rossiter Peter Watson IFES 1101 15th St NW Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20005 Tel: 202-350-6700 Fax: 202-452-0804 Delimitation Equity Project Resource Guide Lead Writer Lisa Handley Writers Jeremy Grace Peter Schrott Horacio Boneo Ron Johnston Michael Maley Alan McRobie Charles Pattie David Rossiter Peter Watson Prepared by IFES for the Delimitation Equity Project with funding from the United States Agency for International Development. The findings and conclusions in this resource guide are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of USAID or the United States government. © 2006 IFES ISBN 1-931459-13-4 Table of Contents Table of contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................................................. IX PART I: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 1: TOWARDS DEVELOPING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS .................................................... 13 A Comparative Study of Delimitation Practices.................................................................................. 15 Countries that Delimit Electoral Districts............................................................................................ 16 Table 1.1: Percent of Countries That Delimit by Region.................................................................................. 16 Table 1.2: Electoral Systems and Delimitation Requirements by Region......................................................... 17 Entities with a Role in the Delimitation Process.................................................................................. 20 Designation of a Boundary Authority............................................................................................................... 20 Boundary Commissions.................................................................................................................................... 20 Election Management Bodies ........................................................................................................................... 22 Legislature........................................................................................................................................................ 22 Authority for Choosing the Final Districting Plan........................................................................................... 23 Role of the Court in the Delimitation Process.................................................................................................. 24 Delimitation Prompts........................................................................................................................... 26 Figure 1.1 Set Time Intervals ........................................................................................................................... 26 Criteria for Delimiting Districts........................................................................................................... 27 Equal Population.............................................................................................................................................. 28 Geographic Criteria......................................................................................................................................... 29 Figure 1.2: North Carolina, 1992 Proposed Redistricting Plan ...................................................................... 31 Communities of Interest.................................................................................................................................... 31 Special Provisions for Minority Groups........................................................................................................... 32 Comparing Delimitation Practices....................................................................................................... 35 Towards Developing International Standards for Delimitation ........................................................... 36 Equality of Voting Strength .............................................................................................................................. 36 Independent, Impartial Boundary Authority..................................................................................................... 36 Non-Discrimination.......................................................................................................................................... 37 Appendix A: Electoral Systems and Delimitation of Electoral Districts in the Countries Surveyed... 39 Appendix B: Players in the Delimitation Process................................................................................ 45 Appendix C: Criteria Considered in the Delimitation Process ............................................................ 61 Appendix D: Proposed International Standards for Delimiting Electoral Boundaries......................... 75 Table 1.A1:: Delimitation of Constituencies .................................................................................................... 79 Appendix E: Glossary of Types of Electoral Systems......................................................................... 81 PART II: ACTION PLANS....................................................................................................................... 83 CHAPTER 2: CONSTITUENCY DELIMITATION IN GEORGIA ................................................................... 85 Background.......................................................................................................................................... 87 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................... 87 Recent Georgian Political History ................................................................................................................... 88 Current Status of Delimitation in Georgia........................................................................................... 90 Georgian Electoral System............................................................................................................................... 90 March 2004 Parliamentary Elections .............................................................................................................. 91 Table 2.1: Results from March 28, 2004 Parliamentary Elections................................................................... 91 Delimitation of Administrative Divisions ......................................................................................................... 92 Figure 2.1: Autonomous Republics and Regions of Georgia ........................................................................... 93 Figure2.2: Four Levels of Government ............................................................................................................ 93 Delimitation of Electoral Constituencies.......................................................................................................... 94 Problems Arising From Delimitation................................................................................................... 95 Malapportioned Electoral Constituencies........................................................................................................ 95 Table 2.2: Population and Percent Deviation from Population Quota, Parliamentary Constituencies........... 96 Status of Second Legislative Chamber in Limbo while Delimitation Issues Remain Unresolved..................... 98 Action Plan .......................................................................................................................................... 99 Revise Electoral System and Eliminate the Need to Redraw Electoral Constituencies .................................... 99 Amend Constitution to Convene Second Legislative Chamber....................................................................... 100 Change in the Structure of Local Government ............................................................................................... 101 iii Delimitation Equity Project Convening the Senate ..................................................................................................................................... 102 Appendix: Total Population, 2003 Turnout and 2004 Registered Voters by Constituency (Rayon). 103 CHAPTER 3: CONSTITUENCY DELIMITATION IN NIGERIA................................................................... 109 Background........................................................................................................................................ 111 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................... 111 Importance of Delimitation in Nigerian Context............................................................................................ 112 Table 3.1: Nigeria 2003 Election Results Summary: Senate .......................................................................... 112 Table 3.2: Nigeria 2003 Election Results Summary: House of Representatives............................................