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A third of the States Chamber will be filled with politicians who have grabbed a £46,000-per-year States seat unopposed after a night in which apathy reigned across the Island.
Although most races will be contested in the elections on 15th October, 11 Constables and six Deputies walked straight into a safe job for the next three-and-a-half years last night when no-one came out to challenge them at their nomination meetings.
The ones who won’t face a contest in four weeks’ time include three newcomers: “Rocketman” Terry McDonald, who took the St Saviour No 3 Deputy seat vacated by Roy Le Herissier, new Trinity Constable Philip Le Sueur, and the new St John Constable Chris Taylor, who takes over from parish stalwart Phil Rondel.
The lack of interest doesn’t bode well for the turnout in Jersey’s first general election, which will see a referendum on the position of the Constables in the States as well as elections for Senators, Constables and Deputies. 11 of the 12 Constables were returned to the States last night, without facing an election.
The night before it had been revealed that there were 61,109 names on the electoral roll to take part in the voting.
The election might be just less than a month away – after the traditional round of hustings meetings around the 12 parishes – but it’s just a fortnight until anyone on the electoral roll can cast their votes in special pre-polling stations set up to let as many people as possible take part in the elections for Senators, Constables and Deputies and the referendum on the Constables.
A special pre-poll station will be open for voters in any district between Wednesday 1 October and Monday 13th October at St Paul’s Centre in town. The station will be open every weekday from 8 am to 6 pm.
A one-off pre-polling station will also be at Communicare in St Brelade on Saturday 4 October from 9 am to 2 pm, with another one-off pre-polling station will be open at Trinity Youth Centre on Saturday 11 October from 9 am to 2 pm.
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