Glossary

Content Definition
Electoral Boundaries Commission Statutory body established by the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act 1982 to conduct redivisions of State electoral boundaries.
Electoral district One of the 88 Legislative Assembly (Lower House) electorates.
Electoral region One of the 8 Legislative Council (Upper House) electorates.
Gerrymander The drawing of electoral boundaries which result in a bias toward a party, group or candidate. The term originated in Massachusetts, USA in 1812 when Elbridge Gerry was Governor. The electoral geography looked like a salamander, so the word gerrymander was coined. There have been no serious allegations of gerrymanders in this strict sense in Victorian electoral history. The existence of an independent, impartial Electoral Boundaries Commission protects the community from political influence in the drawing of boundaries.
Malapportionment Malapportionment is a term used by political scientists to denote electorates of unequal voter numbers. Malapportionment can occur through demographic change (as is the case in Victoria at present) or through the deliberate weighting of different zones. Malapportionment is not the same as a gerrymander, which occurs when electoral boundaries are drawn to favour one political party or group over others.
Redivision The redrawing of Victorian State electoral boundaries to return electoral districts and regions to approximately equal enrolment. 'Redistribution' is the term used in the Commonwealth and some other States.