The coming general election will be based on the electoral amendments to the Constitution, which Parliament enacted last September.

The amendments put a lot of weight on first-count votes because seat allocation in Parliament will be based on these votes. While the number of seats has to remain odd, it may go over the current 65.

They stipulate that if candidates from only two political parties are elected, but one of the parties is under-represented, this will be balanced out by means of “credits”– in the form of additional seats – to reflect the number of first count votes of that party.

If candidates from more than two political parties are elected to Parliament and one of the parties has an absolute majority of votes, but is still under-represented, it will be credited extra seats in a manner that reflects its votes.

The 13 electoral districts are:

First – Valletta, Floriana, Hamrun, Pieta’, part of Marsa and part of Sta Venera

Second – Vittoriosa, Senglea, Cospicua, Zabbar, Kalkara, and Xghajra

Third – Zejtun, Fgura, Marsascala

Fourth – Gudja, Ghaxaq, Paola, Sta Lucija, Tarxien, part of Marsa

Fifth – Birzebbugia, Kirkop, Marsaxlokk, Mqabba, Qrendi, Safi, Zurrieq

Sixth – Qormi, Siggiewi, Luqa

Seventh – Zebbug (Malta), Dingli, Mgarr, Mtarfa, Rabat

Eighth – Birkirkara, Lija, part of Sta Venera, Iklin

Ninth – Gharghur, Msida, San Gwann, Kappara, Swieqi, Ibrag, Madliena, Ta’ Xbiex

Tenth – Gzira, Pembroke, St Julian’s, Sliema

Eleventh – Mdina, Attard, Balzan, Mosta

Twelfth – Mellieha, Naxxar, St Paul’s Bay

Thirteenth – Gozo

Past three general elections

The Nationalist Party won the 2003 election with 51.8 per cent of the votes against 47.5 per cent of the votes for the Malta Labour Party. AD obtained 0.68 per cent of the vote, while 0.02 per cent of the vote went to independent candidates. There were 297,930 registered voters in 2003, 17,357 fewer than this time around.

The PN also won the 1998 election, less than two years after the Labour Party had been elected to government. Then, the PN also won with 51.8 per cent of the vote against the MLP’s 46.7 per cent, AD’s 1.21 per cent and independent candidates’ 0.01 per cent.

In 1996, on the other hand, the MLP won 50.7 per cent of the votes, while the PN won 47.8 per cent. AD won 1.46 per cent and independent candidates won 0.02 per cent of the total number of valid votes.

The 1996 election had seen the MLP return to power after two Nationalist Party wins in 1987 and 1992. The 1981 election will be remembered for an MLP victory in spite of obtaining fewer votes (but more seats) than the Nationalist Party.