Skip to main content

Electoral reform

The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.

The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.

WQ.264/2020

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE

CHAIR OF THE PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE

BY DEPUTY S.M. AHIER OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 13th JULY 2020

Question

Will the Chair provide an update on the Committee's work in respect of electoral reform and, in particular, advise whether it intends to lodge any further propositions on this matter this year in order for any changes to be in place for the 2022 election?

Answer

Work is ongoing in relation to electoral reform, particularly in response to the recommendations of the Election Observers Mission which took place in 2018. The Sub-Committee is currently assessing the changes required to the various Laws which underpin all of activity associated with elections, to alter the way in which we deal with a wide range of issues such as the nominations process, proroguing of the Assembly, purdah, election expenditure and access to a centralised electoral register. We aim to lodge amendments to the necessary legislation in the autumn, in order that any changes can be implemented well before the 12-month countdown to the elections in 2022, in line with Venice Commission guidelines. In parallel with this work, we are revisiting the reform proposals debated earlier this year and hope that a new compromise proposition, drawing together some of the elements that were acceptable to Members and which achieves an improvement in voter equity and equality, can be supported by the Assembly later this year.