Radical overhaul of election districts proposed by PN representatives on Electoral Commission

Four representatives of the Nationalist Party have proposed a radical overhaul of electoral districts after differing with changes put forward by the Electoral Commission.

The four electoral commissioners laid out their proposal in a minority report attached to the commission’s proposal for minor adjustments to electoral boundaries to reflect population shifts.

The Electoral Commission’s report, including the minority view, was tabled in parliament on Monday.

The revision of electoral boundaries is necessary to ensure each of the 12 districts on the island of Malta have roughly the same populations. Gozo, the 13 District, is constitutionally identified as a distinct district irrespective of how big or small its population is.

According to an analysis of registered voters, the commission said that each of the districts in Malta had to have between 25,576 and 28,268 voters.

However, based on the existing electoral boundaries, the 7th District and 12th District overstepped the maximum limit allowed at law.

The commission proposed to transfer 1,320 voters from Żebbuġ in the 7th District to the 6th District. This will affect roads that border Qormi and a number of streets in the Ħal Mula area.

It also proposed to transfer 1,219 voters from Naxxar in the 12th District to the 10th District.

The transfer will include a number of streets close to the Naxxar primary school and the cemetery that will join a number of other streets in the locality that already form part of the 10th District.

However, the commission’s main report was unsigned by the four PN representatives, who instead proposed a more radical overhaul of districts to minimise the post-election adjustments.

They argued that it was necessary for the changes “not to be cosmetic but more profound than a simple shifting of voters in some streets from one district to another”.

The PN proposal will see the 1 District include Paola and Santa Lucija along with the existing towns.

It will also overhaul the 3rd District, which will retain Żejtun but will include Gudja, Għaxaq, Kirkop, Luqa, Mqabba and Safi instead of Marsaskala and Marsaxlokk.

The 4th District will become Żabbar, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk and Xgħajra, while the 5th District will see Siġġiewi join Żurrieq, Birżebbuġa and Qrendi.

Other profound changes under the PN proposal will see Attard and Mosta forming the 7th District and a consolidation of the party’s electoral stronghold in the 10th District by including Swieqi with Sliema, St Julian’s and Gżira.

According to the April electoral register on which the commission’s exercise was carried out, there are 353,241 eligible voters for the general election of which, 30,182 are in Gozo.

Malta has 13 electoral districts and each elect five MPs for a total of 65. However, a constitutional mechanism that kicks in after the final result is out ensures that the number of seats a party obtains is proportional to the number of first count votes.

This has resulted in adjustments to the composition of parliament through the awarding of additional seats.

In the last general election, the Labour Party won 37 seats and the Nationalist Party 28 after the counting process was over. However, the PN was awarded two extra seats to ensure a proportional distribution of seats in parliament that reflects the percentage of votes obtained.

The changes to the electoral boundaries can only come into effect after parliament votes on them.