[1] It elects one deputy to the lower house of Congress for each three-year legislative period by means of the first-past-the-post system.

Votes cast in the district also count towards the calculation of proportional representation ("plurinominal") deputies elected from the fourth region.

[2][3] The 4th district was created through the 1977 electoral reforms, which increased the number of single-member seats in the Chamber of Deputies from 196 to 300.

Under the National Electoral Institute's 2022 districting plan, which is to be used for the 2024, 2027 and 2030 federal elections,[5] the 4th district comprises the municipalities of Amacuzac, Coatetelco, Coatlán del Río, Jojutla, Mazatepec, Miacatlán, Puente de Ixtla, Tetecala, Tlaltizapán de Zapata, Tlaquiltenango, Xochitepec, Zacatepec and Xoxocotla.

Its head town (cabecera distrital), where results from individual polling stations are gathered together and tallied, is the town of Los Pilares [sv] in the municipality of Jojutla.