Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Who draws the district lines?


Who draws the district lines?
In countries* that elect substantial shares of their national legislatures from single-member districts
* Includes some fully self-governing territories whose sovereign status is disputed.
Source: Pew Research Center research.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Who draws the district lines?
In countries* that elect substantial shares of their national legislatures from single-member districts
Country*Primary delimitation authorityNotes
Antigua and BarbudaNational commission (with legislative approval)
AustraliaSubnational commissions
BahamasNational commission (with legislative approval)
BarbadosNational commission (with legislative approval)
BelizeNational legislature (upon recommendation of national election agency)
BhutanNational commission (alone)
BoliviaNational election agency (alone)
BotswanaNational commission (alone)
CanadaSubnational commissions
DominicaNational commission (with legislative approval)
FranceHybrid (executive, legislature, judiciary)
GermanyNational commission (with legislative approval)
GhanaNational election agency (alone)
GrenadaNational commission (with legislative approval)
HungaryNational legislature (alone)
IndiaNational commission (alone)No actual redistricting has occurred since early 2000s.
JamaicaNational legislature (alone)
JapanNational legislature (alone)
LesothoNational election agency (alone)
LiberiaNational election agency (alone)
LithuaniaNational election agency (alone)
MalawiNational election agency (with legislative approval)
MalaysiaNational election agency (with legislative approval)
Marshall IslandsConstitution
MexicoNational election agency (alone)
Micronesia, Fed. StatesState legislatures
NepalNational commission (alone)
New ZealandNational commission (alone)
PalauCoterminous with existing state boundaries
PhilippinesNational legislature (alone)The Philippine Congress has not passed a general reapportionment law since 1987, though many individual districts have been created and redrawn ad hoc.
SamoaNational legislature (alone)
SeychellesNational legislature (upon recommendation of national election agency)
Solomon IslandsNational election agency (with legislative approval)
South KoreaNational commission (with legislative approval)
St. Kitts and NevisNational commission (with legislative approval)
St. LuciaNational commission (with legislative approval)
St. Vincent and the GrenadinesNational commission (alone)
TaiwanNational legislature (upon recommendation of national election agency)
TongaNational commission (alone)
Trinidad and TobagoNational election agency (with legislative approval)
United KingdomSubnational commissions
United StatesState legislaturesIn most U.S. states the legislature has ultimate authority over district boundaries.

* Includes some fully self-governing territories whose sovereign status is disputed.
Source: Pew Research Center research.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER

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