Newsletter – July 2026

General election

On 13 June the Policy Centre published a comprehensive Policy Brief 2026 General election. The Brief seeks to promote discussion on Jersey’s electoral system. It sets out and analyses the results of the 2026 election, explains the legal provisions governing the election and analyses policy issues, particularly voter turnout and the implications of changes to the electoral arrangements.

Key points –

• There were three significant changes in the electoral system compared with the 2022 election –
• The reinstatement of the position of senator with a corresponding reduction in the number of deputies.
• The election was held for the first time on a Sunday.
• Electors were registered automatically rather than by completing a form.
• The turnout was 32.4% compared with 7% in the 2022 election. However, on a like-for-like basis (voters/eligible voters) turnout increased from 31.3% to 32.4%. Guernsey has a low voter registration/eligible voter ratio. Its published turnout figure in the 2025 election was 72.1%, but on a comparable basis with Jersey it was 40%.
• Turnout ranged from 22.2% in St Helier to 53.1% in St Mary.
• Of the nine senators who were elected, six were sitting deputies. The gap between the last (ninth) elected candidate and the tenth was 2,197 votes. The successful candidates scored between 42.6% and 58.5% of votes. On average, voters used 6.8 of their nine votes.

• As six sitting constables stood unopposed, voters were able to choose “none of the above” on the ballot paper, with this option securing between 6.9% and 26.9% of the vote. In the contested seats, two sitting constables lost to new candidates. In the seat with the most contestants (five, St Helier) the winning candidate had 40.1% of the votes.
• Of the 28 deputies elected, 17 were sitting members. Two sitting members were defeated.
• Of the 94 candidates contesting the election, 76 were independent, 16 were fielded by Reform Jersey, and two were fielded by People First. Reform Jersey won seven deputy seats. All the remaining 42 seats were won by independents, six of whom endorsed the principles of a political grouping, Value Jersey.
• Two initiatives were introduced with the intention of increasing turnout in the 2026 election – holding the election on a Sunday and automatic voter registration. The latter was expected to increase the size of the electorate and the number of people voting but reduce the published turnout percentage.
• The decision to reduce the number of deputies by taking one from each constituency had the effect of significantly increasing the variation in voting power; Grouville/St Martin, having a substantially higher voter/deputy ratio that the other constituencies.
• The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Election Observer Mission published a Preliminary Statement on 11 June. Its key conclusion was that: “Elections were delivered effectively despite tight timelines and differing responsibilities across institutions. Legal changes close to the election date strained administration, especially in the parishes, but strong coordination, outreach, and volunteer effort ensured an orderly election.”

New Knowledge Centre paper on Jersey’s political system

On 13 June the Policy Centre published a revised Knowledge Centre paper Jersey’s political system. The paper explains Jersey’s political system and puts it in the context of political systems generally. The updating takes account of the new constitution of the States Assembly.  Key points –

• National parliaments tend to be unicameral (single chamber) or bicameral (two chambers). Elections can be by a “first past the post” system, an alternative vote system, proportional representation, or any combination of the three.
• Jersey has a unicameral parliament, the States Assembly, elected every four years, and a government, elected by the Assembly.
• Jersey does not have a traditional party system, but this is a matter of practice, not of law, and political parties are present in Jersey politics.
• The States Assembly comprises nine senators elected on an Island-wide basis, the constables (or ‘Connétables‘) of each of the Island’s 12 parishes and 28 deputies elected in nine multi-member constituencies based on the parishes.
• General elections are held every four years.
• Jersey’s government is the Council of Ministers. It comprises the Chief Minister and at least seven other Ministers, all of whom must be members of the Assembly. The Chief Minister nominates Ministers, but the Assembly has the power to elect alternative candidates. Ministers are able to appoint Assistant Ministers, but the number of Ministers and Assistant Ministers cannot exceed 21.
• The 12 parishes play a particularly important role in Jersey’s political system, at the parish level and through direct representation in the States Assembly.
• The nature of Jersey’s political system and the weakness of political parties mean that in practice the States Assembly and individual members of it are in a relatively strong position in relation to the government.

Policy Brief updated

The Centre’s 33 Policy Briefs cover all current policy issues and are regularly updated or expanded.  The pre-election period has meant few policy announcements so little updating has been needed.

The Brief on Cost of Living was updated to include new figures on housing costs and retail prices. Surveys of public opinion show that the cost of living is considered to be the main issue facing Jersey. The paper analyses the available evidence on the cost of living, in particular how it impacts different categories of household, and discusses ways in which the cost of living can be reduced.

Paper on democratic engagement added to the Academic Centre

The Academic Centre on the Policy Centre website includes details of books and journals on Island studies and university and other academic organisations that specialise in Island studies, including Jersey’s own Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies (JICAS). The Centre includes a database of academic studies relevant to Jersey. The database currently comprises 70 papers.

A new paper has been added to the Centre. The paper, by Professor Christopher Pich, a member of the Centre’s Research Advisory Group, Strengthening Sustained Democratic Engagement, was submitted in evidence to a House of Commons Committee. It provides insight into the current state of electoral democracy in Jersey, identifies key challenges facing Jersey’s democratic system, and presents a co‑developed, research‑led toolkit.  The paper’s conclusion includes that “It demonstrates the value of sustained, cross‑sector collaboration, the importance of co‑designed, impartial democratic education, and the benefits of coordinating engagement efforts across institutions rather than relying on isolated or short‑term interventions.”