Senators and Deputies - terms of office

STATES OF JERSEY

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SENATORS AND DEPUTIES: TERMS OF  OFFICE

Lodged au Greffe on 14th December 2004 by Deputy A. Breckon of St. Saviour

STATES GREFFE

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

(1 ) to agree that –

(a ) t h e t erm of office of Senators should be reduced from 6 years to 4  years and the term o

office of Deputies increased from 3  years to 4  years;

(b ) t h e o rdinary elections for Senators and for Deputies should be held on the same day;

(c ) th e S tates Assembly would not meet, except in exceptional circumstances, between the first

nomination meeting for candidates at an ordinary election and the day after the poll of electors,

a n d t o c h a rg e the Privileges and Procedures Committee to present to the States for approval the

necessary legislation;

(2 ) to charge the Privileges and Procedures Committee to review the term of office and the timing of

elections for the office of Connétable and to report back to the States with recommendations.

DEPUTY A. BRECKON OF ST. SAVIOUR

REPORT

I am re-submitting what was P.199/1999 for consideration by the States. The only change in the proposition is the change from a reference to the Legislation Committee to a reference to the Privileges and Procedures Committee.

Against my better judgement I withdrew P.199/1999 as a certain body was making landmark recommendations for reform of the Machinery of Government – a subject to which others have applied their minds.

The object of the Proposition is to seek agreement in principle', the detail can follow and anyone so interested can make a submission. I do not believe the proposals have any financial or manpower implications.

What follows is the report from 1999. P.199/1999 report

The House Committee have been looking at reviewing the timing of public elections as well as the length of office of States Members – to date there has been much discussion but no firm recommendations. In the interim I believe good government is suffering, and the people are not best served by a short (three-year) cycle, which at times must appear to the general public as having no chain attached by which to propel it and also two flat tyres, as matters grind to a halt by delay, indecision and deferment.

With respect to others who may be reviewing such matters – I believe it is in the public interest to have these matters fully aired now, and I wish to put down a "marker" so that, if all else fails, these important issues can be debated in the States without other diversions and put in place, if agreed, for the elections of 2002.

For information the existing STATES OF JERSEY LAW 1966 states that –

"ARTICLE 5.

Terms of Office.

(1 ) S e nators shall be elected for a term of six years and, in every third year, six Senators shall retire on their places being filled by an ordinary election.

(2 ) D e puties shall be elected for a term of three years and shall retire on their places being filled by an ordinary election.".

I would seek to amend this so that elections are held every 4 years for ALL Senators and Deputies, and furthermore –

"ARTICLE 12. Elections.

(1 ) A n ordinary election for Senators shall be held in the third week of the month of October in every third year and an ordinary election for Deputies shall be held in the last week of the month of November in every third year.".

I would seek to amend this so that there is a general election on a given day every 4 years. I believe it would be relatively simple to distribute 2 (or 3) ballot papers – one for Senator and one for Deputy , and it would also concentrate the minds of candidates.

Also there has been some discussion on the merits (or otherwise) of the States sitting while an election campaign is in progress. On one side those who are not States Members believe that valuable publicity can be gained, and those who are States Members believe that it is, or could be, a diversion away from the electoral process. In the interests of fair play and common sense it would seem logical to suspend States meetings between the first

nomination meeting and election day.