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Composition and election of the States: single election day each year (P.109/2009) – comments.

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STATES OF JERSEY

COMPOSITION AND ELECTION OF THE STATES: SINGLE ELECTION DAY EACH YEAR (P.109/2009) – COMMENTS

Presented to the States on 14th July 2009 by the Privileges and Procedures Committee

STATES GREFFE

2009   Price code: A  P.109 Com.

COMMENTS

The Privileges and Procedures Committee supports the concept of a single election day in each year but, as set out in its own proposition, Composition and election of the States: revised structure (P.72/2009), believes that this should be achieved through a general election when the entire membership of the Assembly is renewed on one single day every 4 years.

PPC  does  not  consider  that  it  would  be  appropriate  for   Deputy  Le  Fondré's proposition to be debated before P.72/2009 as he has requested. Until the future composition of the Assembly has been agreed, it will not be possible for members to have a meaningful debate about the feasibility of holding all elections on one single election day. Some members may be content to have a single election day every year if  there  are  only  one  or  2 categories  of  elected  members,  but  not  if  the  current 3 categories remain. Without knowing what decisions will be taken about the future composition, it will be impossible for members to decide how to vote on Deputy Le Fondré's proposition.

PPC has already had initial discussions with representatives of the Jurats and Judicial Greffe  to  discuss  any  problems  encountered  with  the  administration  of  the  2008 elections, and this work will be continued over the coming months. One topic already highlighted for further discussion was the number of elections which should be held at any one time, and PPC does not support a proposition which deals solely with this aspect of the elections without having undertaken any consultation as to the possible ramifications.

PPC is hopeful that members will support P.72/2009 and, if that proposition is adopted (with or without the amendment of the Deputy of St. Martin ), Deputy Le Fondré's proposition  would  become  superfluous  and  fall  away.  If  P.72/2009  was  rejected, members would need to make a political decision on whether they thought it was feasible  and/or  desirable,  as  would  be  the  consequence  of   Deputy  Le Fondré's proposition in these circumstances, to hold elections for 6 Senators, 29 Deputies and 12 Connétable s on one single day every 3 years (without addressing the position of the 6 remaining Senators who would not be elected on that day).

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P.109/2009 Com.