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Election plans published

Election plans published

Friday 26 June 2020

Election plans published

Friday 26 June 2020


People will go to the polls in early October and those elected will serve four-and-a-half year political terms, under plans that have been published for States approval.

The States' Assembly & Constitution Committee has been working up alternative election proposals ever since the corona virus lockdown claimed the 17 June election date.

The States initially took evasive action by postponing the island's first island-wide election until June 2021.

"The spread of COVID-19 around the globe caused the Committee in early March to review whether the General Election should continue as planned in June 2020," the committee said in its policy letter. "It concluded that any election in June would be most unlikely to be sufficiently free, fair and safe."

A sustained improvement in the public health situation and the island's swift movement between the different phases of the lockdown exit strategy saw earlier dates brought into the conversation. 

That has led to Sacc proposing 7 October as the date of the next election. The committee's policy letter has also put more meat on the bones of an election they have had to re-schedule and re-plan in around 12 weeks. 

Under the proposals, the Electoral Roll will remain open until 21 August. 

St Sampson's High

Pictured: St Sampson's will host an advance super polling station on the weekend before the election, under Sacc's proposals. 

People will be able to go to the polls, in advance, from Saturday 3 October at some polling stations until Wednesday 7 October, which will be the final day the public can go to the ballot box. 

The proposals will see an advance 'super polling' station for people at St Sampson's High School and Princess Royal Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October.

People from any parish will also be able to vote at the Princess Royal Performing Arts Centre Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October 2020.

Parish polling stations will take place on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October 2020.

Current Deputies' terms will end on 18 October, and the elections for all States committees will take place on the week starting Monday 19 October. 

The proposals still require States approval, and are expected to be debated next Wednesday, 1 July. 

Pictured top: Sacc President Neil Inder. 

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