Elections in Jersey

Elections in Jersey gives information on elections and election results in Jersey.

National elections

Jersey elects a legislature. The States of Jersey have 53 elected members, 41 elected for a three year term (29 Deputies elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies and 12 Constables, head of the parishes) and 12 Senators elected by Islandwide vote for a six year term, 6 of them renewed every three years. Jersey is a state in which political parties do not play an important role, although two newly-formed parties put forward candidates in the 2005 general election.

The Senators were last elected 19 October 2005, the Deputies 23 November 2005.

The States of Jersey also includes a small number of unelected ex officio members: the Bailiff; the Dean (head of the established Church of England in Jersey; the Attorney-General.

enators

To be nominated for Senator, a candidate must secure a nomination paper signed by 10 validly-registered voters, including a proposer and seconder. The proposer and seconder must attend in person the Electoral Assembly ("nomination meeting") held at the Parish Hall of St. Helier, presided over by the "Comité des Connétables", and the proposer must read out publicly the nomination form, including the candidate's declaration of criminal convictions (or of no criminal convictions).

If more candidates are nominated than there are seats available, a poll is declared, to be taken on the date set by the Royal Court. If there are no more candidates nominated after 20 minutes than available seats, then the candidates are declared elected unopposed and no poll is taken.

The Royal Court appoints an "autorisé" for each constituency to oversee the poll (usually, but not exclusively, a Jurat or Crown Officer).

With 6 seats at each Senatorial general election, each voter has a maximum of 6 unranked votes in a first past the post bloc voting system (multi-member plurality system). Results for each parish on polling day are declared by the "autorisé". In the early years of Senatorial elections since 1948, parish loyalties meant that votes would swing around the candidates, with Saint Helier - the largest and last parish to declare - often deciding the election. Since the 1980s, parish loyalties to local candidates have faded in favour of Islandwide issues and it is usual for the pattern of winning candidates to be clear from the first declarations, with Town voters only likely to decide the sixth-placed candidate.

Defeated Senatorial candidates are able to stand in the following Deputorial elections. It is not uncommon for an incumbent Senator denied re-election by the Island electorate to seek a refreshed mandate in their own parish. A number of prospective candidates for Deputy use the preceding Senatorials as a "dry-run" to either raise their public profile or, in the absence of a strong tie to one particular parish, to see which Deputorial constituency gave them the highest Senatorial vote.

Deputies

The procedure for nomination for Deputy follows the same pattern as for the Senatorials, except that the nomination paper must be signed by 10 voters, including proposer and seconder, validly registered in the constituency in which they intend standing (for a Senatorial election, the constituency is one all-Island constituency). The proposer and seconder must attend in person the Electoral Assembly ("nomination meeting") presided by the Constable (or Chef de Police or Procureur du Bien Public) of the respective parish held at the respective parish's parish hall (Public Hall in the case of St. Martin) or other place as may be specified.

In the case of parishes divided into more than one electoral district, nominations are accepted at the Electoral Assembly by district, nominations for each district having to last at least 20 minutes. ("see articles on individual parishes for electoral districts")

In single-member districts, a simple first past the post election is held. In multi-member districts, the system is that of a first past the post bloc election analogous to the Senatorials.

Past elections

By-elections

For senators:
*Jersey by-elections, 1999
*Jersey by-elections, 2003
*Jersey by-elections, 2004

For deputies:
*Jersey by-elections, 1999
*Jersey by-elections, 2000

Local elections

The elected Constable heads the administration of each of the twelve parishes.

Procureurs du Bien Public and Centeniers are elected under the same rules as Senators, Deputies and Constables.

Centeniers, Vingteniers and Constable's Officers, collectively the Honorary Police are elected by a Parish assembly along with members of the Roads Committee and Roads Inspectors and must take an oath of office before the Royal Court.

Other municipal officials are also elected by an Assembly of Electors but are not subject to an oath of office.

Changes to the Voting Law meant that all elections for the position of Procureur du Bien Public and Centenier now follow the rule applied to elections to the States of Jersey [ [http://www.jerseylegalinfo.je/Publications/jerseylawreview/june03/JLR0306_Legislation.aspx Changes to Procureur elections] : Retrieved 28th July 2007] . Since such elections are generally uncontested the following list details contested elections only. A full list of people elected to Parish Municipalities can be found at List of politicians in Jersey.

*Jersey regional elections, 2006
*Jersey regional elections, 2007
*Jersey regional elections, 2008

Constable elections are normally for a period of three years. From 2008, all Constables will be elected on a single day, all terms will be cut short to allow for this [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/jersey/6687317.stm Constables Propose single election day] :Retrived 28th July 2007] Thus all elections in 2006 and 2007 are for a period until that date.

*Jersey constable election, 2001
*Jersey constable election, 2002
*Jersey constable election, 2003
*Jersey constable election, 2004
*Jersey constable election, 2005
*Jersey constable election, 2006
*Jersey constable election, 2007
*Jersey constable election, 2008

Electoral register

Those eligible to vote at a public election [ [http://www.jerseylegalinfo.je/law/display.aspx?url=lawsinforce/consolidated/superseded/16/16.600_publicelections(jersey)law2002_revisededition_31august2004.htm Public Elections (Jersey) Law 2002] ] (for Senators, Deputies, Constables, Procureurs du Bien Public and Centeniers) are those whose names are included on the electoral register for the relevant electoral district (the register is compiled by vingtaine).

Those entitled to register must be
*at least 18 years old (16 years old as from 1 April 2008) [The [http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/display_result.asp?url=documentspropositions18672-10082-1872007.htm law amendment] to give effect to the lowering of voting age to 16 was lodged au Greffe on 18 July 2007, approved in September 2007 and brought into force on 12 March 2008, with effect from 1 April 2008] ;
*ordinarily resident in the relevant electoral district; and either
#ordinarily resident in Jersey for the period of at least two years prior to registration; or
#ordinarily resident in Jersey for a period of at least six months up to and including that day, as well as having completed a total of at least five years of ordinary residency in Jersey at some foregoing period.

The right to vote is determined by residency, not citizenship, and therefore citizens of any state may vote in Jersey elections provided they fulfill the other requirements for electoral registration.

On 4 July 2007, the States of Jersey voted to reduce voting age to 16. The law was brought into force on 12 March 2008, with effect from 1 April 2008, allowing 16- and 17-year-old voters to register in time for the 2008 elections. ["16-year-olds able to vote this year",Jersey Evening Post 13 March 2008]

Those entitled to vote at elections other than public elections are electors, ratepayers and mandataires.

The first public election by secret ballot was held on 1 December 1891, following the passing of the law providing for secret ballots on 26 January 1891. Secret ballots are not required for other elections (at Parish Assemblies) and may be conducted by show of hands, although such elections may be conducted by means of secret ballot.

Indirect elections

Since the 1948 constitutional reforms, Jurats are elected by electoral college rather than by Islandwide vote.

ee also

* Electoral calendar
* Electoral system

References

External links

* [http://www.vote.je/ States of Jersey voter registration and information]