Jersey election mission publishes initial response to vote

Observers were in the island during the election. Credit: ITV Channel TV

Observers of Jersey's election have published their preliminary findings on how the vote was carried out.

Representatives from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Election Observation Mission praised the rise in the number of candidates from diverse backgrounds who were elected and the increased number of contested elections.

However, they also highlighted issues in the delivery of election materials by Jersey Post and inaccuracies in the voter registration system which were seen on polling day, with some voters turning up at the wrong polling station in some areas where electoral boundaries had changed or new polling stations created.

The report also referred to concerns expressed by some during the campaign about the changes to the electoral system.

Among the other findings:

  • Vote.je did not publish information about the number of voters, invalid ballots or turnout at polling stations as is common practice in other jurisdictions.

  • The Jersey Election Authority, the body which oversaw the electoral process, should have been established sooner than six months before polling day as this 'impeded its full functioning'.

The team of Observers will publish a full report with more detailed findings in August.