States look at island wide voting referendum options

Guernsey States is getting together its plan for the island wide voting referendum, which could happen next autumn.

The Constitution Committee will present the States with an idea of what the referendum should look like next year.

So far, the options for islanders to vote on could be:

  • Full island wide voting - this would mean all deputies are elected island wide on one day

  • Rolling system - all deputies would be elected island wide but on a rolling basis, so votes could take every two years for example

  • Super constituency - Splitting the island into two, three of four constituencies of voters and deputies

  • Staying with the current system

Deputy Matt Fallas, head of the Constitution Committee, says the idea is to give voters the 'widest possible choice' to 'shape the election system from 2020'.

He estimates the referendum will take place between Autumn 2017 and the first half of 2018.