Low turnouts expected for town by-election

Wednesday 05 March 2014

Voting booths are open until 8 pm as town residents in St Helier No 1 and 2 districts choose two new Deputies who will sit in the States until October.

Pre-poll voting ran all the way through last week, but the main polls opened at 8 am this morning and close at 8 pm tonight. Voters in St Helier No 1 district (which covers the east of town and Havre des Pas) should cast their votes in the Assembly Room at the Town Hall, and voters in St Helier No 2 district (which covers most of the middle of town) should cast their votes in the Blue Room at Springfield Stadium.

Anyone who is 16 or over and lives in St Helier No 1 and No 2 districts is eligible to be registered to vote in the election.

The winning candidates will serve until the main elections in October, filling out the terms of Shona and Trevor Pitman, who were expelled from the States for being declared bankrupt. The winners will put themselves in pole position to win a full-term in October, and a States seat worth £46,000 per year.

With turnout expected to be dismally low, the results could be announced as early as 9 pm.

In St Helier No 1 district, the following were nominated: former Emeraude managing director Gordon Forrest; former Deputy Paul Le Claire; lawyer and campaigner Nick Le Cornu; IT specialist Maureen Morgan; and Fort Regent campaigner Roy Travert.

In St Helier No 2 district, the following were nominated: Centenier Paul Huelin, DJ Bernie Manning; reform campaigner Sam Mezec and Ian Philpott.