This paper seeks to promote discussion on Jersey’s electoral system. It sets out and analyses the results of the 2026 Jersey election, explains the legal provisions governing the election and analyses policy issues, particularly voter turnout and the implications of changes to the electoral arrangements.

Summary

Jersey held a General Election on Sunday 7 June 2026. The people of Jersey elected 49 members of the States Assembly – 12 parish constables, 9 senators on an Island-wide basis and 28 deputies in nine constituencies.

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 Elections (Jersey) Law 2002 and the Connétables (Jersey) Law 2008 govern the conduct of elections. The Public Elections (Expenditure and Donations) (Jersey) Law 2014 governs electoral expenditure. The Political Parties (Registration) (Jersey) Law 2008 covers requirements for political parties, and a resolution of the Assembly Registration of political groups has provisions for political groupings that are not parties.

The turnout was 32.4% compared with 41.7% 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%.

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.

Turnout ranged from 53.1% in St Mary to 22.2% in St Helier.

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 for constable in the relevant parishes. 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, 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 to make way for nine senators 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 on the election 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.”

The 2026 election – overview

Jersey held a General Election on Sunday 7 June 2026. The people of Jersey elected 49 members of the States Assembly –

12 constables, one for each of the Island’s 12 parishes.
9 senators on an Island-wide basis.
28 deputies in nine constituencies, comprising parishes, combinations of parishes and in the case of St Helier three sub-divisions of parishes.

It is unusual for countries to elect more than one category of member to a Parliament, particularly as once elected each member is equal in terms of voting and eligibility for positions. However, in practice, the Chief Minister and most of the members of the Council of Ministers are nominated and elected from among the senators. Constables, who have a major role in their parishes, on average, tend to be less involved in the Assembly than deputies.

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.

Election law

The Elections (Jersey) Law 2002 governs the conduct of elections. It sets out requirements to be eligible to vote, establishes the Jersey Electoral Authority (JEA) and makes provision for postal voting and pre-polling.

Article 24(3C)(b) provides that where an election would otherwise be uncontested then there is an election in which electors can vote for the nominated candidate or candidates or for “none of the above”.

The Connétables (Jersey) Law 2008 makes provision for the election of constables (connétables), largely replicating the provisions for the election of deputies and senators.

The Public Elections (Expenditure and Donations) (Jersey) Law 2014 governs election expenditure and donations to parties and candidates. Provisional expenditure limits for the 2026 election were an average of

£3,700 for a deputy election, between £2,708 and £6,491 for constable elections and £15,172 for a senator election.

The Political Parties (Registration) (Jersey) Law 2008 covers requirements for political parties, and a resolution of the Assembly Registration of political groups has provisions for political groupings that are not parties.

The legal provisions are set out in more detail in the Appendix.

Election turnout

Historically, Jersey has had a low level of election turnout. Turnout over the 30 years to 2022 averaged 44.1%. There has been significant variation from a low of 39.9% in 2014 to a high of 50.4% in 1993. The 1993 figure is an outlier – the next highest figure is 46.7%. There has been no clear trend in the turnout figures. Turnout in the 2022 election at 41.7% was the third lowest over the last 30 years.

Turnout in Jersey elections is lower than in all the OECD countries. Switzerland, at 47%, is the only country with a figure below 55%. Turnout in the last UK General Election was 59.1% (a significant reduction on the 67.3% in the previous election) and in the Isle of Man 50.7%. Turnout in 2025 Guernsey election was 72.1%, much higher than the Jersey figure of 41.7% in 2022, although this is partly explained by different practices with respect to the electoral register.

Two initiatives, considered subsequently, were introduced to try to increase turn out in the 2026 election –

Automatic registration of voters was introduced.
The States Assembly determined that the election would be held on the Sunday.

Turnout was 32.4%, compared with 41.7% in 2022. However, a better comparison is with turnout as a percentage of eligible voters given the introduction of automatic registration of voters. Table 1 show the position. For comparison, the 2025 Guernsey election figures are shown.

Table 1 – Turnout, 2022 and 2026 compared

Variable	Jersey 2022	Jersey 2026	Guernsey 2025
Estimate of eligible voters	81,000	85,470	49,000
Registered voters	60,701	85,470	27,293
Eligible/registered voters	75%	100%	56%
Voters	25,334	27,691	19,686
Voters/registered voters	41.7%	32.4%	72.1%
Voters/eligible voters	31.3%	32.4%	40%

Note: There is no exact figure for eligible voters –

The Jersey 2022 figure is based on the JEA estimate that 75% of those eligible to vote registered.
The report of the CPA Observer Mission estimated that the 2025 Guernsey election captured around 60% of the eligible electorate. This implies 45,500 eligible electors. This may be on the low side. Guernsey’s population is 62% of that of Jersey, suggesting an eligible voter figure of 49,000.
The Jersey 2026 figure is the actual figure given automatic registration but may overstate the actual number of eligible voters.

The number of registered voters increased by 24,769 compared with 2022. The number of people who voted increased by 2,357 but the higher number of registered voters meant that the turnout figure fell by 9 percentage points.

In international comparisons, Jersey’s figure will be 32% and Guernsey’s more than double that at 72%. But on a comparable basis (voters/eligible voters) the proportions were closer – 32% in Jersey and 40% in Guernsey.

Table 2 shows key figures for the constable elections (the only parish figures currently available) and for comparison the 2022 figures.

Table 2 – Constable elections, 2022 and 2026

Parish	Electorate2026	Increase on 2022	Turnout 2022 %	Turnout 2026 %
St Helier	30,727	82%	32.4	22.2
St Saviour	11,443	49%	42.6	28.8
St Clement	8,262	34%	38.2	31.8
St Lawrence	4,445	19%	42.0	39.9
St Peter	4,457	34%	43.0	34.5
St Brelade	8,781	9%	36.0	40.4
Grouville	4,406	20%	51.2	42.7
St Martin	3,169	17%	43.7	45.6
St Ouen	3,276	16%	49.7	47.3
Trinity	2,540	29%	53.0	47.6
St John	2,467	8%	49.2	48.5
St Mary	1,480	8%	53.1	53.1
Jersey	85,470	41%	41.7	32.4

There was a substantial variation in turnout between the parishes, from 53.1% in St Mary to just 22.2% in St Helier. This repeats the pattern in earlier elections – much higher turnout in the country parishes than in the more urban parishes.

There was no significant variation in the turnout between the elections for senators, deputies and constables. Voters completed all three ballot papers, even where a constable was competing against “none of the above”.

The table also shows the substantial increase in the size of the electorate as a result of automatic registration of electors and consequent reduction in turnout in the two most urban parishes, St Saviour and St Helier. In St Helier the electorate increased by 82% and there was a corresponding reduction in turnout from 32.4% to 22.2%. Similarly in St Saviour, the electorate increased by 43% and the turnout fell from 42.6% to 28.8%. By contrast, in two of the country parishes, St Mary and St John, the electorate was little changed and the reduction in turnout was more modest. These variations reflect the fact that the urban parishes include higher proportions of relatively transient workers and foreign nationals who may be less likely to vote in elections. It may also be the case that some of those workers were no longer in the Island when the election took place.

In Jersey’s 2022 election, turnout was much higher in the 65+ age group (53%) than in the under 35 age group (17%), in rural areas (40%) than in urban areas (18%) and among owner-occupiers (41%) than among tenants (16%). The Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey 2026 report will give comparative figures for the 2026 election.

Opinion surveys suggest that the reasons for the low turnout are mainly general negative attitudes towards the political system in Jersey. The main reasons given by people for not voting in the 2022 election were –

Wouldn’t have made a difference 30%

Don’t trust the political system 28%

Not interested in the election 24%

Didn’t know enough about the candidates 22%

The change in the turnout figure was influenced by four factors –

The introduction of automatic registration of voters which has increased the number of voters but reduced the published turnout figure by as much as ten percentage points.
The switch to voting on a Sunday which may have led to an increase or decrease in turnout.
The reintroduction of senators which may have made more people inclined to vote, knowing that they would be voting for the people most likely to be ministers.
Extensive work by the States Greffe to encourage people to vote through media campaigns but also by visits to companies and schools to help them to explain to their workers and to students the importance of voting. It is understood that a number of companies made extensive efforts to persuade their staff to vote.

Disentangling the four effects is difficult in the absence of surveys of voters and detailed research and analysis. However, the fact that the number of actual voters increased only modestly, by 7.1%, while the size of the electorate increased by 39.7% suggests that the four initiatives had a minimal effect.

Election of senators

Each elector could exercise up to nine votes for senator, and the nine candidates with the highest number of votes were elected. Table 3 shows the result.

Table 3 Election of senators, 2026

Candidate	Votes	%
Helen Miles*	15,859	58.4
Ian Gorst*	15,667	57.7
Lyndon Farnham*	14,217	52.4
Elaine Millar*	14,208	52.4
Serena Kersten Guthrie	12,588	46.4
Tom Binet*	12,584	46.4
Alan Maclean	12,506	46.1
Mark Boleat	11,948	44.0
Mary Le Hegerat*	11,571	42.6

Sam Mézec*	9,374	34.5
Steve Luce*	8,669	31.9
Bernard Place	6,675	24.6
Alan Le Pavoux	6,294	23.2
Martin Aliga	5,390	19.9
Alan Breckon	4,412	16.3
Guy de Faye	2,979	11.0
Karl Busch	1,688	6.2

Note: Sam Mezéc was the only candidate of a party – Reform Jersey. All the other candidates were independent, although Serena Kersten Guthrie endorsed the policies of a political movement, Value Jersey.

* Denotes a sitting member. Alan Maclean was previously a member.

There was a clear gap between the ninth, and last successful, and tenth places. The successful candidates recorded between 42.6% and 58.4% of the votes cast.

On average, voters used 6.8 of their nine votes. In the 2018 election, on average, voters used 5.7 of their eight votes. The system lends itself to “plumping”, that is voting only for candidates that an elector most wants to be elected. It is likely that such tactical voting occurred, although probably to a limited extent. Rather, people did not use all their votes because they did not know enough about the candidates or they voted only for people they wanted to be elected as opposed to plumping which can involve not voting for people they want to be elected. (For example, a voter’s main objective is for A to be elected but also wants B, C and D to be elected. However, A is competing with B, C and D so the voter votes for A only as voting for any of their other favoured candidates could jeopardise the chance of A being elected.)

Election of constables

The election of constables in 2026 followed the same format as in previous elections. Traditionally, several of the constable elections have not been contested. One reason for this is that the constable has two different roles – head of the administration of the parish and a member of the Assembly. The workload is substantially greater than that of other members of the Assembly, particularly those who are not ministers.

Uncontested elections are seen by some as being undemocratic. From the 2022 election an innovation was introduced for all elections; when the number of candidates does not exceed the number of vacancies, electors can vote for “none of the above”. In 2022, this happened only in elections for constable. Eight of the 12 elections were not contested. In the 2026 election, six constable positions were uncontested. Table 4 shows the results of the elections.

Table 4 Election of Constables 2026

Parish	Turnout	Elected	Not elected/none of the above
St Clement	31.8%	Marcus Troy* (80.9%)	None of the above (19.1%)
St Ouen	47.3%	Richard Honeycombe* (73.1%)	None of the above (26.9%)
St John	48.5%	Andy Jehan*(93.1%)	None of the above (6.9%)
Grouville	42.7%	Mark Labey* (75.0%)	None of the above (25.0%)
St Peter	34.5%	Richard Vibert* (85.1%)	None of the above (14.9%)
St Martin	45.6%	Karen Shenton Stone* (85.9%)	None of the above (14.1%)
St Brelade	40.4%	Steve Pallett (61.0%)	Mike Jackson* (39.0%)
Trinity	47.6%	Andy Howell** (71.4%)	Steve De Louche (28.6%)
St Lawrence	31.8%	Tina Palmer (65.4%)	John Le Fondré (34.6%)
St Mary	53.1%	David Johnson* (52.5%)	Mark Baker (20.1%), Ivor Barette (27.3%)
St Saviour	28.8%	Dave Curtis (40.4%)	Kevin Lewis* (27.4%), Suzie Webb (32.2%)
St Helier	22.2%	Inna Gardiner** (40.8%)	Rob Ward (29.2%), David Warr(17.2%), Mark Le Chevalier (11.6%), Alvin Aaron (0.1%)

Note: Rob Ward, candidate in St Helier, was the only candidate of a party – Reform Jersey.

* Denotes a sitting Constable

** Denotes a sitting Deputy

The following points emerge –

The six uncontested elections were all where a sitting constable was seeking re-election.
The “none of the above” vote ranged from 6.9% to 26.9%.
Two sitting constables were defeated, one (St Brelade) by a previous constable.
Three sitting deputies stood for the constable seat in St Helier, so the two unsuccessful candidates lost their positions in the Assembly.

Election of deputies

Table 5 shows the results of the election for deputies.

Table 5 Election of deputies

Constituency	Elected
St Brelade	Monty Tadier, Jonathan Renouf, Gabriel Raimondo
St Clement	Alex Curtis, Barbara Ward, Karen Wilson*
St Saviour	Malcolm Ferey, Louise Doublet, Chris Leck, Robert Parker
Grouville/St Martin	Rose Binet, Carolyn Labey
St Mary/St Ouen/St Peter	Lucy Stephenson*, Arlene Maltman, Chris Rebindaine
St John/Trinity/St Lawrence	Hilary Jeune, Kirsten Morel, Phil Romeril
St Helier South	Tom Coles, Beatriz Porée, Samantha Gleave
St Helier Central	Catherine Curtis, Lindsay Feltham, Carina Alves*, Lee Carpenter
St Helier North	Max Andrews*, Victoria Li, Gerald Voisin

*Denotes a sitting member

Key points –

Reform members elected were Monty Tadier, Tom Coles, Beatriz Porée, Catherine Curtis, Lindsay Feltham, Carina Alves and Lee Carpenter. All other elected members were independent, although Gabriel Raimondo, Robert Parker, Phil Romeril. Samantha Gleave and Gerald Voisin endorsed the principles of Value Jersey.
Two sitting members was defeated.

Equality of voting power

The peg on which reform proposals for the 2022 election was considered was the report by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Election Observation Mission Jersey General Election 2018.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) London in its role as secretariat for CPA’s British Islands and Mediterranean Region (CPA BIMR), carries out and supports election observation work across the Commonwealth. CPA BIMR is specialised in election observation work in UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It sends observers to elections. The work of the missions is highly respected and provide objective independent analyses of electoral systems and the conduct of elections. Their reports are always regarded as authoritative and are given serious consideration by the relevant countries.

The report described the then electoral system as being “overly complicated and cumbersome” and drew attention to the fact that Jersey’s system did not comply with international standards, particularly in respect of equal suffrage, that is, in effect, each vote counting equally. This recommendation was taken on board by the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC). The Committee noted the Code of Conduct for Electoral Matters published by the Venice Commission, established by the Council of Europe. Its comments on this merit quoting –

Jersey complies with the Code of Good Practice in all areas except equal suffrage, which, according to the Venice Commission, entails –

Equality in voting rights – each voter has in principle one vote; where the electoral system provides voters with more than one vote, each voter has the same number of votes.
Equality in voting power – requires constituency boundaries to be drawn in such a way that seats are distributed equally among the constituencies, in accordance with a specific apportionment criterion, e.g. the number of residents in the constituency, the number of resident nationals (including minors), the number of registered electors.

Jersey’s electoral system falls short of the Venice Commission’s standards on both counts. Voters do not have the same number of votes across the Island, and the power of their votes is unequal.

The Venice Commission recommends that “except in really exceptional circumstances”, the maximum variance from equality of voting power should seldom exceed 10% and never be more than 15%. The report noted that in Jersey the average variation was 28% with a range was from -44% to +59% and that, “in essence, the voters in the urban parishes are vastly under-represented compared to their rural neighbours”.

The new constituencies for deputies reasonably complied with the Venice Commission standards. In two constituencies – St Clement and Grouville/St Martin – the variation was slightly greater than 10%. Such a variation was inevitable given that parish boundaries were sacrosanct. However, the system as a whole did not comply with the standards because of the constables.

The Assembly’s decision to take out one deputy from each constituency resulted in more substantial variations from the norm with Grouville/St Martin being under represented by 27%, well excess of the 15% or more “never” recommendation of the Venice Commission. One other constituency, St Helier Central, is at the 15% variation. The effect of taking one deputy from each constituency is shown in Table 6.

Table 6 Population per deputy 2022 and 2026

Constituency	Population2021	Population per deputy 2022	Variance	Population per deputy 2026	Variance
St Brelade	11,012	2,753 (4)	-1%	3,670 (3)	–
St Mary, St Ouen & St Peter	11,288	2,822 (4)	+1%	3,763 (3)	+2%
St John, St Lawrence &Trinity	11,967	2,992 (4)	+7%	3,989 (3)	+8%
Grouville & St Martin	9,349	3,116 (3)	+12%	4,675 (2)	+27%
St Saviour	13,904	2,781 (5)	0%	3,476 (4)	-6%
St Clement	9,925	2,481 (4)	-11%	3,308 (3)	-10%
St Helier South	11,181	2,795 (4)	0%	3,727 (3)	+1%
St Helier Central	12,506	2,501 (5)	-10%	3,126 (4)	-15%
St Helier North	12,135	3,034(4)	+9%	4,045 (3)	+10%
Jersey	103,267	2,791 (37)	0%	3,688 (28)	0%

Election day

On 1 April 2025 the States Assembly resolved that the 2026 general election would be held on Sunday 7 June. In the proposition to the Assembly the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) observed that “our democracy is not going to function well when only a third of eligible voters are participating”. The PPC proposition stated that “in the absence of firm evidence to the contrary and, given voter apathy to date, PPC considers that a move to a Sunday election should be trialled to see if it brings more people to the polls”.

No evidence was presented that a change to Sunday voting would lead to higher turnout. The Proposition observed that Sunday is the most popular day for elections. It quoted a single 2004 study by Mark Franklin, of Trinity College, Connecticut. When this considered 29 countries, turnout was higher when elections were on a Sunday, but when the analysis was expanded to 63 countries, the day of the election did not seem to affect participation. The study did not cover the effect of changing the election day to a Sunday.

Voter registration

2022 voter registration arrangements

For previous elections, people had to take a positive step to register to vote by completing an application form. Many people did not do so, in some cases because they had no wish to vote and in other cases because filling in a form was not a priority. As a result, not all potential electors were registered to vote. It is estimated that for the 2022 election only 75% of those eligible to vote registered to do so and only 31% of those eligible to vote actually voted. The voter registration proportion was ten percentage points below the UK figure of 85%. There were significant variations between the parishes, with much higher figures in the country parishes. In St Mary, 96% of those entitled to vote registered and the turnout was 52%, so half of those entitled to vote did so. In St Helier Central, only 57% of those entitled to vote registered, and with a 29% turnout at the election, only 17% of those entitled to vote did so.

2026 voter registration arrangements

The Elections (Electoral Registers) (Jersey) Amendment Law 2025 provided for the automatic registration of electors. The report by the PPC stated that the reasons for making these changes were to –

Make it easier for people to vote by automatically including entitled individuals on the base electoral register.
Increase the democracy of our electoral process by removing barriers to voting.

The Proposition noted that because of the new arrangements, turnout could fall.

The new Register will include people who may have previously made a conscious decision not to make a return, either because they had no interest in voting or did not wish to be included on the list for Jury Duty. It is estimated that only 60% of statement forms are returned to Parishes. By increasing the accuracy of the register, we anticipate there will be an increase in the total number of people included. The risk is that those people remain steadfast in their refusal to engage with the democratic process and if they do not vote, our already low turnout figure will plummet even further. Conversely it could provide those who were uncertain about their eligibility status, with the necessary validation to take part in the elections. The States Greffe, through vote.je, will run a dedicated communications campaign explaining the changes, highlighting that people may now be eligible who previously may not have thought they could not participate, and everyone will be encouraged to exercise their democratic right and use their vote.

It was likely that the change would lead to a lower percentage turnout than would otherwise have occurred. The number of people on the electoral register was substantially higher as a proportion of the potential number but most of the increase was of people for whom voting is probably a low priority. The number of people who voted in the election was therefore higher than it otherwise would have been, but the percentage turnout was lower.

A previous edition of this Brief suggested that the turnout rate would be 4.3 percentage points lower as a result of automatic registration, based on an additional 20,000 voters of whom 20% (4,000) voted. However, the actual effect in 2026 was more extreme. The number of voters went up by under 2,427 while the number of voters on the register increased by 24,470. In round terms 10% of those on the register only because of automatic registration voted so the headline turnout declined by 9 percentage points.

Three categories of members

Most parliaments have a single category of member, with each member having the same title such as MP, deputy or representative. Many countries have two chambers with different categories of member. For example, the UK has the House of Commons, where each member being elected is the one representative for a single constituency, and the House of Lords, where all members are appointed. The USA has the House of Representatives with members elected for specific districts and the Senate where two members are elected from and by each state.

In the UK the “additional member system” is used for the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Parliament and the London Assembly. Voters are given two votes on separate ballot papers. One vote is for a constituency member, and one vote is for a party list. Additional members are then elected by counting the party list votes in each region. The number of members elected from the list is based on the percentage of the votes cast but also takes into account the number of constituency members already elected in the region. This is designed to make the result proportional to the number of votes cast. When they take their place in the parliament each member has the same title.

Since 1948, the States Assembly has comprised a mixture of the 12 parish constables, senators elected on an island-wide basis and deputies elected for districts based on the parishes. For the 2022 election, the Assembly decided to abolish the position of senator with a corresponding increase in the number of deputies. The position of senator has been reinstated with effect from the 2026 election.

This means that unusually, if not uniquely, for a national parliament, Jersey voters in 2026 elected three separate categories of member to a one-chamber parliament: 12 constables, one for each of the 12 parishes, 9 senators elected on an Island-wide basis, and 28 deputies elected in districts based on the parishes.

Consequently, also unusually, each elector had between 12 and 14 votes. This contrasts with one vote for the UK Parliament, but at the other extreme in Guernsey, there is one constituency with electors having 38 votes.

The constables have duties in their parishes which for most is the bulk of their work. However, the roles in the Assembly for each of the categories of member are equal. Members in each category are eligible to be Chief Minister or ministers and can chair committees. In practice, when senators are in the Assembly, the Chief Minister is a senator.

The three categories of member can be confusing for some of the electorate. This may be one factor explaining the low turnout.

Reviews and issues

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Election Observer Mission issued a Preliminary Statement on 11 June. The executive summary is set out below –

“At the invitation of the Privileges and Procedures Committee of the States Assembly, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region (CPA BIMR) conducted an independent Election Observation Mission to the Jersey General Election held on 7 June 2026. This was the third observation of an election in Jersey, following observations in 2018 and 2022.

The mission assessed the process against international standards and domestic law, engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and observing all stages of the election.

Jersey is a self-governing Crown Dependency with a unicameral parliament of 49 elected members, comprising Connétables, Deputies and Senators. The political landscape is largely independent with limited party presence. Since 2022, leadership has shifted from Chief Minister Kristina Moore to Deputy Lyndon Farnham following a no-confidence vote. The 2026 election saw participation from Reform Jersey, People First, and the emerging but unregistered movement Value Jersey, reflecting an evolving political environment.

Jersey’s legal framework provides a strong basis for elections and reflects international standards. The Jersey Electoral Authority (JEA) has some limitations due to a lack of resources and permanence in effectively overseeing the election.

The 2026 election reintroduced Senators, returning Jersey to a three-tier electoral system. These tiers represent island-wide, district, and parish constituencies, respectively. Adjustments included reducing the number of Deputy seats and retaining “none of the above options in uncontested Connétable races. It also introduced Automatic Voter Registration. However, the timing of these reforms limited public awareness and preparation.

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.

Expanded eligibility and automatic voter registration increased inclusivity. However, the tight timescale for implementation introduced technical and administrative challenges due to limited preparation time. Issues with voter lists occurred as a result of this, but did not result in systemic disenfranchisement.

Candidate eligibility requirements were clearly defined, and the nomination process was completed without disputes. This resulted in 94 candidates contesting 49 seats. However, differences between voter registration and nomination timelines created uncertainty during verification. Despite some uncontested races, overall competition remained robust. However, female representation among candidates was lower than in 2022.

Campaigning was active and generally respectful. Most campaigns were centred on socio-economic issues such as the cost of living and infrastructure. Traditional methods and hustings were effective, but numerous stakeholders raised concerns about compliance and the unclear status and financing of Value Jersey.

The legal framework requires disclosure of campaign spending and donations, but stakeholders highlighted weaknesses in transparency and enforcement. Particular concern focused on the emergence of Value Jersey as a non-party political entity potentially operating under less stringent rules. These issues raised broader concerns about the adequacy of existing regulations in ensuring a level playing field and maintaining public trust.

Traditional media provided balanced and accessible coverage, supported by public information efforts. Social media increased engagement but also amplified hostility and misinformation risks, raising questions about monitoring and safeguarding.

While legal equality exists, structural barriers, including campaign cost and online harassment, continue to hinder women’s political participation. Low numbers of female candidates reflect these barriers, though many female candidates who ran for Senator achieved electoral success. Efforts to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities were evident in the run up to and on polling day. Accessible polling stations and inclusive voter education materials improved inclusion.

Election day was orderly and professionally managed. Procedures were largely followed, with minor concerns on technical issues with voter registration, secrecy and delays. Overall performance was positively assessed.

In due course, the Jersey Electoral Authority will publish a report on the conduct of the election and the annual Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey which will give a demographic breakdown of voters and reasons for not voting.”

This Brief will be updated to include summaries of these reports and other relevant information.

Appendix – Jersey Election Law

The Elections (Jersey) Law 2002 governs the conduct of elections. The main points are –

Article 5 provides that a person is entitled to be on the electoral register if –
- they are at least 16 years old,
- resident in the district of the election, and
- have been ordinarily resident in Jersey for a period of at least two years up to and including the day they register or ordinarily resident for at least six months up to and including that day as well as having been ordinarily resident at any time for additional periods of at least five years.
Article 6 provides that electoral registers are maintained by each parish.
Article 13A establishes the Jersey Electoral Authority (JEA). The schedule to the law provides that the JEA comprises a chair, between two and four ordinary members, a parish representative member and, ex officio, the Judicial Greffier and the Greffier of the States. The JEA is responsible for overseeing the conduct of elections and is required to provide a report on each general election.
Article 13C provides for the JEA to prepare and publish a code of conduct for candidates at elections.
Articles 17C, D and E set out requirements for nomination, including the content of the nomination form, a requirement that nomination forms be subscribed by a proposer and nine seconders who are entitled to vote in the election, and a political party declaration for those candidates of a political party.
Article 24 prescribes the content of ballot papers.
Article 24(3C)(b) provides that where the number of vacancies for the office is equal to, or exceeds, the number of candidates, electors have the option of voting for none of the candidates.
Article 25 requires that each election should be by secret ballot.
Article 26 requires each parish to provide one or more polling stations in such a way “that all persons have reasonable facilities for the exercise of the right to vote”.
Article 38 makes provisions for pre-polling, that is submitting a ballot paper in advance of the election date, and for postal voting. Anyone is entitled to a postal vote by making an appropriate application.

Article 24(3C)(b) is particularly significant as it was an innovation and one that is uncommon in other jurisdictions. It provides that where an election would otherwise be uncontested then there is an election in which electors can vote for the nominated candidate or candidates or for “none of the above”.

The Connétables (Jersey) Law 2008 makes provision for the election of constables (connétables), largely replicating the provisions for the election of deputies and senators.

The Public Elections (Expenditure and Donations) (Jersey) Law 2014 governs election expenditure and donations to parties and candidates. The key provisions are –

Expenditure during a “regulated period”, the period beginning four months before election day, is covered by the provisions.
“Election expenses” are defined in Article 3(1) of the Law as expenses incurred at any time before the poll for that election –

(a) by the candidate, or with the candidate’s express or implied consent; and

(b) for the supply or use of goods, or the provision of services, which are used during the regulated period –

(i) to promote or procure the candidate’s election, or

(ii) to prejudice the electoral prospects of another candidate at the same election.

The expenditure limits are
- £2,517 plus 13 pence for each elector (in round terms about £3,700) for a deputy election.£2,517 plus 13 pence for each elector for a constable election. The amount varied depending on the number of electors in the parish from £2,709 in St Mary to £6,511 in St Helier.
- £4,416 + 13p for each elector (£15,442) for a senator election.

The decision to introduce automatic registration of electors increased the size of the electorate by 41% and therefore the variable amount of the expenses compared with the 2022 election.

The Political Parties (Registration) (Jersey) Law 2008 covers requirements for political parties.

On 26 January 2026 the States Assembly adopted a proposition Registration of political groups requiring the Jersey Electoral Authority to produce a voluntary code of practice for all political groups that are standing candidates for the 2026 election and for the Assembly to consider proposals to require political groups to register under the Political Parties (Registration) (Jersey) Law 2008.

2026 General Election

Contents

Explore this topic

Background & supporting analysis

Election turnout in Jersey

Further reading

Re-instating senators