Campaign to "save" Guernsey's electoral system is launched

Friday 31 August 2018

The 'Let it B' island wide voting referendum group has launched its campaign to preserve the status quo at a meeting attended by current and former politicians and members of the public.

Held at St James last night, Fergus Dunlop presented the campaign group's reasons for backing option B in the upcoming vote.

Pictured: The five options voters will be asked to choose between when the island goes to the polls in October.

Option B is the system Guernsey currently has for appointing 38 deputies across seven electoral districts. 

Speaking at the event to launch the campaign group, Fergus Dunlop said the current voting system is the best and that other jurisdictions would like to have similar.

The Let it B group have described it as personal, proven and the best and Mr Dunlop said that as someone who moved to the island around ten years ago, he feels it is a massive improvement on voting systems in the UK.

He said he currently knows the candidates in Guernsey's elections and so when he votes he knows exactly who he is voting for. With politicians, including Deputy David De Lisle and Deputy Shane Langlois representing the western parishes (Mr Dunlop's district), at the meeting, Mr Dunlop joked that it is not always good to know the candidates - but he maintained that other jurisdictions would be envious.

Pictured: Around 50 people attended a meeting to launch the referendum campaign group 'Let it B'.

Other politicians at the campaign group launch included deputies Gavin St Pier, Jonathan Le Tocq and Heidi Soulsby along with parish representatives including Philip Soulsby and Victor de Garis and former politicians including Bernard Flouquet, Mike Collins, Sean McManus, Mike Garret and Rhoderick Matthews.

Members of the public at the meeting included David Warr of the Guernsey Community Foundation and former Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Rupert Dorey.

Pictured: Publicity material created for the Let it B campaign group.

The campaign group has had a number of publicity items made to encourage more people to vote for option B. Mr Dunlop said he expects to see red ribbons flying from cars and bicycles across the island.

The referendum is due to be held on Wednesday October 10. Only people on the electoral roll will be able to vote. 

Campaign groups have also been set up for options A and C but no one applied to campaign officially on behalf of options D or E.

You can sign up to vote and find out more about the referendum at gov.gg.