Belize Peace Movement Calls for Constitutionally Compliant Electoral Divisions

After reviewing the redivision report of the elections and boundaries commissions in July; Claimants of the Supreme Court Redistricting case No. 55 of 2019 and its attorneys noticed that it was evident that there are areas that fall short of the constitutional mandate for equality of votes across constituencies.  The Belize Peace Movement updates the Belizean public of a breach by the Elections and Boundaries Commissions. The breach is because the commission’s redivisioning proposal do not comply with the constitutional requirements to make electoral divisions in Belize have nearly an equal number of voters. In constructing its proposal, a 25% and 23% deviation threshold was applied which are very much below Belize’s traditional constitutional standard and below international standards. On October 3, claimants applied for the court to grant three reliefs which include: a declaration that the current distribution of registered voters in Belize’s electoral division is unconstitutional and unsuitable for the next general election, an injunction to restrain the Elections and Boundaries Commission from using the current voters list to conduct general elections until it is brought into compliance with the constitution, and an order to compel the Elections and Boundaries Commission to make constitutional compliant proposals to the National Assembly. The commission’s proposal stands deferred by the House of Representative. As Belize nears another general election, the BPM urges Belizeans to “Demand that the Elections and Boundaries commission promptly lay before the National Assembly new proposal’s that are constitutionally compliant.