WATCH #Jsy2018: 17 candidates bid for 8 Senatorial seats

Monday 14 May 2018

In some ways, the Senatorial election is the most simple - all registered voters can cast their ballot, and you just have to pick up to eight names to support.

They’re elected on an island-wide basis - the votes they get in each parish or district are totted up and the top eight get voted in.

The post is a relatively new one. It was created after a major overhaul of the States after the Second World War, and they were originally thought of as the ‘senior members'.

Whereas at the time Constables and Deputies served a three-year term, Senators were given six years. And, because originally there were 12 senators, it meant six posts came up every three years. Most Senators had previously served as Deputies, and after election went on to become Committee Presidents – the forerunner of Ministers.

Recently the number of Senators was cut back to eight, and like Constables and Deputies they now serve a four-year term, coming up for election at the same time as other States members. 

This time, seventeen candidates are standing for the eight posts. Nine of those seeking election are current States Members – Senators Lyndon Farnham, Sarah Ferguson, and Ian Gorst; Deputies Simon Brée, John Le Fondré, Sam Mézec, Kristina Moore, and Tracey Vallois; and Constable Steve Pallett. This means at least one States Member is going to lose their seat.

Of course, that number could be even higher if any of the eight ‘new’ candidates are successful. They include former Deputy Gerard Baudains, and independents Ant Lewis, Frank Luce, Phil Maguire, Stevie Ocean, Gino Risoli, Moz Scott, and Gordon Troy.

Phil Maguire and Gino Risoli declined to record an election video.

The last of the senatorial hustings is being held tonight at the Methodist Centre in St Helier at 19:30.

Voting takes place on Wednesday 16 May. The polls are open from 08:00 until 20:00. Where you vote depends on which parish and/or district you live in.

Bailiwick Express would like to thank the students of Highlands College Media Department who helped film some of these election videos.