TheBelize Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) is the primary electoral body inBelize. It supervises all local and nationalelections. The commission also establishes the boundaries of Belize's electoral divisions.
The EBC was formed in 1978 to oversee Belizean elections according to the Representation of the People Act. This Act became part of theBelize Constitution in 1981. The commission maintains a database of Belizean voters and periodically informs the nation on the state of the voter's list. It also occasionally makes proposals to revise boundaries in order to maintain near equality in voting divisions. There are currently 31 electoral divisions in Belize.[1]
The EBC has a chairman and four other persons on its board. The chairman and two members are appointed by thegovernor-general on the advice of theprime minister after consultation with the leader of the opposition; the remaining members are appointed similarly, with the concurrence of the leader of the opposition. Members of the EBC serve for five-year terms.[2] The Chairman is paid $2000 monthly, and each other member is paid $500 monthly.[3]
The Elections and Boundaries Commission also acts as an international observer for other elections in the region, including inVenezuela.[4]
According to theBelize Constitution, the EBC delegates its responsibilities to the chief elections officer, who is not a member of the commission, and is officially in charge of voter registration, conduct of elections, and voter education.[citation needed]
