How States Members are elected

A new States Assembly is formed every four years when an election takes place in Jersey.

Islanders aged 16 and over who have lived in Jersey for the two years leading up to the election, OR for the six months leading up to the election plus earlier periods totalling five years, are eligible to vote for the candidates that they would like to represent them as Deputies of their constituency and the Connétable (Constable) of their Parish.

On election day, the candidates who receive the most votes within their constituency or Parish form the 49 elected Members of the States Assembly. There is no limit to the number of times a person can stand for election, nor the number of political terms for which they can be elected.

Jersey's next election will take place in 2026.

Standing for election

To stand for election, you need to find ten people who will act as your proposer and seconders. Your proposer and seconders need to be entitled to vote in the Parish (for Constable) or constituency (for Deputy) you’re standing for. You’ll also need to complete a nomination form and a declaration of any criminal convictions.

Standing as a Deputy

Deputies represent one of nine constituencies. Deputies do not have to live in the constituency they want to represent, however if you want to check which constituency you live in, simply enter your postcode into our Constituency Finder.

If you want to stand for election as a Deputy you must be:

at least 18 years old
a British Citizen who has been:
- (a) resident in Jersey for at least two years up to and including the day of the election, or
- (b) resident in Jersey for six months up to and including the day of the election, as well as a total period of five years previously.

Standing as a Constable

Constables (or Connétables) are the head of their Parish, and represent their Parish by voting in the States Assembly.

If you want to stand for election as a Constable you must be:

At least 18 years old
A British citizen who has been a resident in Jersey:
- (A) for at least two years up to and including the day of the election, or
- (B) for six months up to and including the day of the election, as well as a total period of five years previously
Reside in the Parish you wish to represent

Applying for British Citizenship

You must be a British citizen to be able to stand for election to the States Assembly. If you plan to stand for election in 2026 and you do not currently have British citizenship, you will need to follow the application process explained on the Government of Jersey website: Applying to become a British citizen.

It is important to note that it can take up to 12 months for citizenship applications to be processed, so it is advisable to start your application as soon as possible if you want to be eligible to stand for election in time for 2026.

Making a complaint about a States Member

If you're not happy about the conduct of a States Member, you can contact the independent Commissioner for Standards, who is responsible for considering complaints.

Jersey’s next election will take place in 2026.

For the latest information on elections in Jersey and further information on how to stand for election and how to vote, visit:

vote.je