Odenwald (electoral district)

The Odenwald is a German electoral district (German: Wahlkreis) covering the Odenwaldkreis, parts of the Kreis Bergstraße (specifically, the municipalities of Birkenau, Fürth, Gorxheimertal, Grasellenbach, Heppenheim, Lampertheim, Lindenfels, Mörlenbach, Rimbach, Wald-Michelbach and Weinheim), and parts of the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg (specifically, the municipalities of Griesheim, Messel, and Weiterstadt) in the state of Hesse.

The electoral district is assigned the electoral district number 187. It is one of 22 electoral districts in Hesse.

In the German Bundestag elections, the Odenwald electoral district directly elects one member of parliament (Bundestagsabgeordneter) to the Bundestag. The election is based on a first-past-the-post system.

The current directly elected member is Dr. Jens Zimmermann (SPD), who won the seat in the 2021 federal election.

Historically, the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) held the directly elected seat for a considerable period. However, recent elections have shown a shift in voter preferences, with the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany) gaining prominence. The constituency's results are often closely watched as an indicator of broader political trends in Hesse.

The Odenwald electoral district has undergone boundary changes over time due to population shifts and redistricting efforts aimed at ensuring fair representation. The specific municipalities included in the district may vary slightly between election cycles.