[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 third region.

[5][a] Between 2017 and 2022, in addition to the five it comprises in the 2022 plan, the district also covered the municipality of San Lucas.

[6] In 2005–2017, the 5th district was located in the Chiapas Highlands north-western portion of the state and covered the municipalities of Amatenango del Valle, Chamula, Huixtán, Mitontic, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Tenejapa, Teopisca and Zinacantán.

It covered the following municipalities: The districting scheme in force from 1978 to 1996 was the result of the 1977 electoral reforms, which increased the number of single-member seats in the Chamber of Deputies from 196 to 300.