Home > 1.2 Equal suffrage > GEORGIA - Opinion on the amendments to the Organic Law Election Code of Georgia, pertaining to local elections
 
 
 
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Paragraph 27
 

When it comes to constituency delineation, equality of opportunity should also be ensured. The Venice Commission recalls that certain delimitations of constituencies go against equality of opportunity, the so-called gerrymandering. In this regard, gerrymandering may be defined as a negative and manipulative act of politicians to redraw the legislative/electoral district boundaries to deprive the representation that another group or party would enjoy. Gerrymandering is, in sum, a manipulative political tool which distorts the democratic electoral process, undermines democratic and universal election principles, and renders legislative elections a meaningless exercise. By doing so, gerrymandering constitutes a breach of the principle of equal suffrage as it “deprive[s] the electorate of a meaningful influence on who gets elected.”