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Independent body should redraw constituencies: DPP

Redistricting for the new electoral system should be conducted by an independent organization and the Legislative Yuan should not weigh in on the issue, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) said yesterday.

As a new "single-member district, two-vote" system for legislative elections will be adopted in 2007, redrawing constituencies will have a significant impact on future legislative elections.

Under the new electoral system, the number of constituencies will be increased from the current 29 to 73, while the number of the legislators will be halved to 113 from 225.

In light of the changes, Lee yesterday held a news conference to express the DPP's stance. Lee said many factors must be taken into consideration when it comes to delineating constituencies, including geographical areas, proportion of the population, local conditions, the environment and transportation, while also ensuring that each constituency has about the same number of people.

Principles

Lee recommended establishing some limits to the changes.

For example, an administrative district -- a county or a city -- should not be divided into two parts if the number of voters is sufficient to elect one legislator, Lee said.

"We think an administrative district should retain its completeness ... if one lawmaker can be elected in that district," Lee said. "The DPP will support a law to regulate the principle of districting if it is necessary."

The DPP also argued that an independent, impartial organization should be established to take charge of the redistricting, and at least half its members should be experts known for their independence, with political representatives not making up over 50 percent of the group.

"Either the Central Election Committee or a new committee will do," Lee said. "At any rate, we have to try our best to avoid gerrymandering."

Keep lawmakers out

Lee also said that legislators should not be involved.

"It is quite inappropriate for lawmakers to decide the result of redistricting," Lee said. "If the outcome of redistricting has to be approved by legislators, then I'm afraid that a fair election will be impossible in the future."
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