Draft Elections (Senators) (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- (P.56/2025): third amendment

STATES OF JERSEY

DRAFT ELECTIONS (SENATORS) (JERSEY) AMENDMENT LAW 202- (P.56/2025): THIRD AMENDMENT

Lodged au Greffe on 26th August 2025

by Deputy H.L. Jeune of St. John , St. Lawrence and Trinity Earliest date for debate: 9th September 2025

STATES GREFFE

2025  P.56/2025 Amd.(3)

DRAFT ELECTIONS (SENATORS) (JERSEY) AMENDMENT LAW 202- (P.56/2025): THIRD AMENDMENT

1  PAGE 25, ARTICLE 38 –

1. After paragraph (1) insert –
   2. For paragraph (1) there is substituted –

1. After a nomination form for the office of Senator has been completed with the information and declarations required by Article 17D, the form must be subscribed by –

1. 1 proposer; and
2. 14 seconders,  consisting  of  representatives  of  each  of  the Deputies' constituencies as specified in paragraph (1A).

(1A)  The seconders for a nomination for the office of Senator must consist

of –

1. 1 person  representing  each  of  the  following  Deputies' constituencies –

1. St. Helier South ;
2. St. Helier Central ;
3. St. Helier North ;
4. St. Saviour ;
5. St. Clement ;
6. St. Brelade ;

2. 3 persons  representing  each  of  the  following  Deputies' constituencies –

1. St. Mary , St. Ouen and St. Peter ;
2. St. John , St. Lawrence and Trinity ;

3. 2 persons representing the Deputies' constituency of Grouville and St. Martin .

(1B)  After a nomination form for the office of Deputy or Connétable has

been completed with the information and declarations  required by Article 17D, the form must be subscribed by –

1. 1 proposer; and
2. 9 seconders.

2. Renumber the subsequent paragraphs accordingly.
3. In paragraph (3) (renumbered as paragraph (4)), after the inserted paragraph (3) insert –
   4. A person seconding a nomination for the office of Senator "represents" a Deputies' constituency if the  person's  name is  included  in the  electoral register for an electoral district that is, or is within, the constituency.

2 PAGE 25, ARTICLE 39 –

In paragraph (2), in the substituted paragraph (2)(a)(ii), delete "(if any)". DEPUTY H.L. JEUNE OF ST. JOHN, ST. LAWRENCE AND TRINITY

REPORT

Strengthening Island-Wide Representation: The Case for Constituency-Based Nomination Requirements for Senatorial Candidates in Jersey

Proposers and seconders serve an important purpose in the nomination process during an election: to ensure that anyone standing for public office has a basic level of support from at least a small group in the community, before appearing on the ballot.

By signing the nomination paper, they are publicly confirming that they believe the candidate is suitable for public office and that they support the candidate's manifesto, platform and values. It's a basic threshold – one that helps maintain the integrity of the electoral process by filtering out unserious or ill-prepared candidates and encouraging genuine engagement from the start.

With the reintroduction of Senators to the States Assembly, there has been much debate that this role represents an island-wide mandate. The question at the heart of this amendment is: if Senators are to represent all of Jersey, how can we make sure those standing for election genuinely reflect that responsibility?

In a role like Senator – where the expectation is to represent the entire Island – the support shown at nomination stage should reflect that. A candidate who wants to speak for Jersey should be able to demonstrate they've engaged with Islanders from a mix of communities, geography and backgrounds, and, not just their own immediate area or network.

In the current draft law, someone who wants to stand as a Senator needs to find the same number of supporters as a Deputy – one proposer and nine seconders. The difference is where those supporters come from. Deputies must get their support from people in their own constituency, which could include up to three parishes – demonstrating that they have support to run from residents of that constituency. Senators, on the other hand, can, at the moment, get support from anywhere in Jersey, even just from a single parish like a Connétable , even though they are meant to represent the whole Island.

This amendment proposes a more balanced and representative approach – one that requires candidates for Senator to demonstrate support from across the Island. Specifically, it would require candidates to secure -

• 1 proposer – from anywhere in Jersey, who is entitled to vote

• 14 seconders, who are entitled to vote, from the following –

• 9 seconders – 1 from each of Jersey's nine Deputy electoral constituencies
• 2 seconders extra – from 3-parish constituencies
• 1 seconder extra – from 2-parish constituency

= Total: 15 supporters island-wide

Specifically, what this would look like to a candidate –

Why should this amendment be supported?

1. Reinforcing the Island-Wide Mandate

Senators are elected to represent the Island as a whole – not just the Parish they live in or a familiar support base. Requiring nominations from across all nine constituencies reflects this island-wide role and sets a clear expectation from the start: candidates must show they have support from across both urban and rural communities. It ensures early signs of a candidate's ability to serve all Islanders equally.

2. Promoting Genuine Island-Wide Engagement

This approach encourages candidates to step outside their usual circles and connect with Islanders in every constituency – from St. Helier to St. Ouen – to find people who will back their candidacy and manifesto. It ensures that candidate campaigns don't just speak about representing the whole Island but actually start by doing it. This helps build understanding of the range of local issues and ensures that candidates don't just appear at election hustings but have done some work of listening and learning beforehand, to find supporters from across the island.

3. Strengthening Public Trust

Requiring  broad  nomination  support  adds  fairness  and  transparency.  When  candidates demonstrate support from all across the island, voters can, it is hoped, feel more confident that they will govern in the interest of the whole Island, not just a select few.

4. Promoting Fairness Across Jersey's Communities

In developing this proposal, I spent a great deal of time working through what I believed to be the fairest formula. Simply relying on the parish system did not feel right – our parishes vary widely in size, population, and political influence. Equally, requiring nominations solely from the nine Deputy constituencies seemed too simplistic, and not in keeping with the island-wide mandate that a Senator seeks.

My  proposal  strikes  a  balance  between  the  two.  By  requiring  support  from  across  all constituencies, while also recognising the larger, multi-parish constituencies through additional seconders, the system ensures broader, fairer representation. It also reflects the higher level of responsibility expected of a Senator compared with a Constable or Deputy .

In short, this formula reduces the risk of any one community dominating a candidate's priorities. Instead, it encourages Senators to reach out across the Island, engaging with Islanders from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds. This, I believe, is the fairest and most democratic way of ensuring that candidates for Senator genuinely demonstrate support across Jersey.

5. Encouraging Prepared, Committed Candidates

Requiring one proposer and 14 seconders from across the Deputy constituencies – 15 supporters island wide – is not a barrier to entry – it's about encouraging serious candidates who are willing to plan, engage, and build support across the Island. That preparation reflects key qualities expected of a Senator. If a candidate is unable to find 15 people across the Island willing to second them, it raises serious questions about their preparedness to serve as a Senator.

Conclusion

The Senatorial role carries weight and responsibility. Islanders expect Senators to speak for all of Jersey – not just one area or group. This amendment strengthens that expectation by asking candidates to show they and their manifesto have support from across the Island before their names even appear on a ballot paper.

The process remains straightforward – it uses the existing nine Deputy constituencies and Parish system as the framework, which is already understood by candidates, voters, and officials. It adds no additional cost or complexity for the Greffe.

It's a fair and effective way to uphold the spirit of the role – serving the whole Island, with a clear mandate from its diverse communities.

Financial and staffing implications

There are no additional financial and/or staffing implications arising from this amendment to the original Proposition.

Children's Rights Impact Assessment

A Children's Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) has been prepared in relation to this proposition and is available to read on the States Assembly website.